Compare
Knob Creek 12 Year vs Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Put Knob Creek 12 Year next to Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less |
- Knob Creek 12 Year does 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.
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/2 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10
oak 9/5 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 3/6 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10
spice 6/4 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- 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.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
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 Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch).