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Knob Creek 9 Year vs Maker's Mark
Comparing Knob Creek 9 Year and Maker's Mark reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | Maker's Mark |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| 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) +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.
Maker's Mark
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Maker's Mark
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/2 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Maker's Mark 2 out of 10
oak 8/4 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 8 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Maker's Mark 3 out of 10
fruit 3/4 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Maker's Mark 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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: The bottle that made wheated bourbon mainstream. Soft, sweet, and deliberately low on spice and oak, with baked bread and honey doing most of the work. Consistency is its real feature.
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 Maker's Mark if you want a reliably sweet, low-spice wheater that is easy to find and easy to drink at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); neat, rocks, cocktails, highball (Maker's Mark).