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Knob Creek 9 Year vs New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Knob Creek 9 Year and New Riff Bottled-in-Bond are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is age (9 years vs. 4 years).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years +5 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 | ~$38 – $45 |
- 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.
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
spice 6/9 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/4 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 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.
- New Riff Bottled-in-Bond: At 30% rye this is about as spice-forward as bourbon gets before becoming rye whiskey. Peppery and herbal with mint and dill, non-chill-filtered for texture, and noticeably dry rather than sweet.
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.
- Go with New Riff Bottled-in-Bond if you want aggressive rye spice and a dry, herbal profile from a modern craft distillery with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond).