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Knob Creek 12 Year vs Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13
Comparing Knob Creek 12 Year and Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a blender-built, even-keeled bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years +4 yr | 8 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 110.8 proof (55.4% ABV) +11 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$78 less | ~$130 – $150 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Knob Creek 12 Year and Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 3/8 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 8 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 8 out of 10
oak 9/7 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 7 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 6 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- Knob Creek 12 Year: Three more years in the barrel than the standard Knob Creek, and the wood does all the talking. Deep oak and leather over the familiar Beam peanut note, drying toward genuinely tannic on the finish.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13: Bardstown's annual blend of older sourced bourbons. Rich and dessert-like, with creme brulee, toffee and dark fruit over peppery oak.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Knob Creek 12 Year if you want the Beam house profile pushed as far into oak as it goes while staying balanced at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 if you want a rich, dessert-like annual blend of older Kentucky bourbons with more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat (Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13).