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Knob Creek 9 Year vs Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Comparing Knob Creek 9 Year and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and an uncut, wheated heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | Maker’s Mark Cask Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 110 proof (55% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 ~$8 less | ~$40 – $50 |
- 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.
Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
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Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 5/9 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 9 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
spice 6/3 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 3 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 5 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Maker’s Mark Cask Strength: Undiluted Maker's, and the version that finally gives the wheated recipe some weight. Dense caramel and honey with real warmth, and one of the more affordable cask-strength bottles anywhere.
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 slightly lower price point.
- Go with Maker’s Mark Cask Strength if you want wheated sweetness at full strength for well under what most cask-strength bourbons cost.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); neat, rocks (Maker’s Mark Cask Strength).