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Knob Creek 12 Year vs Buffalo Trace
Comparing Knob Creek 12 Year and Buffalo Trace reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Buffalo Trace |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$28 – $35 ~$31 less |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Knob Creek 12 Year and Buffalo Trace do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Buffalo Trace
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Buffalo Trace
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/6 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
nuttiness 7/4 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Buffalo Trace: The reference-point Kentucky bourbon: balanced brown sugar and vanilla sweetness, a whisper of mint, and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting. Nothing is loud, which is exactly the point at 90 proof.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Buffalo Trace if you want the balanced, everyday Kentucky benchmark that does nothing wrong at a fair price.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Buffalo Trace).