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Knob Creek 12 Year vs Willett Pot Still Reserve
Comparing Knob Creek 12 Year and Willett Pot Still Reserve reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a modern, even-keeled craft expression.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 12 Year | Willett Pot Still Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| 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) +6 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$45 – $60 ~$10 less |
- Knob Creek 12 Year and Willett Pot Still Reserve do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Willett Pot Still Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 12 Year Willett Pot Still Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/6 oak: Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10
fruit 3/6 fruit: Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 7/4 nuttiness: Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 7 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 5 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10, Willett Pot Still Reserve 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Willett Pot Still Reserve: Famous first for the pot-still-shaped decanter and second for the whiskey, which is a fair ordering. Pleasant, sweet and fruit-leaning, with a good deal of the price attached to the glass.
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 Willett Pot Still Reserve if you want a distinctive bottle on the shelf and an easy, fruit-forward pour inside it at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year); neat, rocks (Willett Pot Still Reserve).