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Knob Creek 12 Year vs Old Forester Statesman
Put Knob Creek 12 Year next to Old Forester Statesman and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Old Forester Statesman |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +5 proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$50 – $55 ~$10 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 Statesman
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Old Forester Statesman
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/2 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 2 out of 10
oak 9/5 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10
fruit 3/7 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 7 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 8 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester Statesman 4 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 Statesman: Old Forester's fruit-forward middle child, first made for a spy movie tie-in. Bright cherry and brown sugar lead, with cocoa and a touch of the house banana note.
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.
- Go with Old Forester Statesman if you want a bright, cherry-sweet Old Forester that sits between the 100 and 1920 in weight at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Old Forester Statesman).