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Knob Creek 9 Year vs Bulleit Bourbon
Comparing Knob Creek 9 Year and Bulleit Bourbon is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by proof (100 vs. 90).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | Bulleit Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 | ~$25 – $32 ~$9 less |
- Knob Creek 9 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 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Bulleit Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10
sweetness 5/5 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Knob Creek 9 Year: This classic Jim Beam offering leans heavily into traditional oak, rich caramel, vanilla, and the signature Beam peanut-funk nuttiness. At 100 proof it delivers a bolder, more structural wood-and-spice influence with a touch of citrus zest and mint on the finish.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Knob Creek 9 Year if you want a classic peanut-and-oak-forward Kentucky bourbon with an older age statement with more proof behind it.
- Go with Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon).