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Knob Creek 12 Year vs Michter's US*1 Small Batch
Knob Creek 12 Year and Michter's US*1 Small Batch 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 | Michter's US*1 Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less |
- Knob Creek 12 Year and Michter's US*1 Small Batch do not publish an official mash bill.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 Small Batch
No notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Michter's US*1 Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/5 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Michter's US*1 Small Batch 5 out of 10
nuttiness 7/4 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Michter's US*1 Small Batch 4 out of 10
spice 6/4 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Michter's US*1 Small Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Michter's US*1 Small Batch 5 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Michter's US*1 Small Batch 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Michter's US*1 Small Batch 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- 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 Small Batch: Polished and easy-drinking, with butterscotch and stone fruit and very little rough edge. What you pay for is refinement and mouthfeel rather than age or 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 slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Michter's US*1 Small Batch if you want a smooth, polished pour with a premium feel and no rough edges at a lower price point and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat, rocks (Michter's US*1 Small Batch).