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Knob Creek 12 Year vs Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Comparing Knob Creek 12 Year and Wild Turkey Rare Breed reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Wild Turkey Rare Breed |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 116 proof (58% ABV) +16 proof |
| 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.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Good flavor.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 out of 10
heat 5/8 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
spice 6/8 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
oak 9/8 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
fruit 3/4 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 6 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.
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed: Barrel-proof Wild Turkey at a price that still looks like a mistake. Everything the 101 does with considerably more force, and one of the most consistently praised bottles in its category.
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 Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you want barrel-proof spice and oak with a reputation to match, at half what comparable bottles cost with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Wild Turkey Rare Breed).