Compare
Knob Creek 12 Year vs Jefferson's Reserve Very Old
Knob Creek 12 Year and Jefferson's Reserve Very Old sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Jefferson's Reserve Very Old |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90.2 proof (45.1% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$55 – $65 |
- Knob Creek 12 Year and Jefferson's Reserve Very Old do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Jefferson's Reserve Very Old
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Jefferson's Reserve Very Old
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 3 out of 10
fruit 3/6 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 6 out of 10
oak 9/7 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 7 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 5 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Jefferson's Reserve Very Old 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- 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.
- Jefferson's Reserve Very Old: The older, drier sibling of Jefferson's Very Small Batch. Buttery toffee and dried fruit sit on a firm, slightly smoky oak backbone, and the finish turns peppery and long.
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 slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Jefferson's Reserve Very Old if you want a mature, oak-driven blend with dried fruit and a dry, peppery finish at an easy proof.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat, rocks (Jefferson's Reserve Very Old).