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Knob Creek 9 Year vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Comparing Knob Creek 9 Year and Knob Creek 12 Year is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$35 – $40 vs. ~$55 – $70).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years | 12 years +3 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 ~$25 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Knob Creek 9 Year and Knob Creek 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
oak 8/9 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 3/3 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
nuttiness 7/7 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land close together on every flavor axis — the differences are in texture and proof more than character.
- 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.
- 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.
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 at a lower price point.
- 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 an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).