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Knob Creek 12 Year vs Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Comparing Knob Creek 12 Year and Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a blender-built, even-keeled bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +9 proof | 91.4 proof (45.7% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$48 less | ~$90 – $130 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Knob Creek 12 Year and Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/4 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
spice 6/4 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 5 out of 10
oak 9/8 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 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.
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish: The standard Michter's bourbon given a second toasted barrel, which adds sweetness and wood to an already polished pour. Genuinely good, though the price has drifted well past what the liquid alone justifies.
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 Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish if you want the smoothest, most polished toasted-barrel pour here and price is not the deciding factor with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat (Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish).