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Knob Creek 9 Year vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Knob Creek 9 Year and Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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 | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years +5 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 | ~$24 – $30 ~$11 less |
- Knob Creek 9 Year and Old Grand-Dad Bonded do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/5 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
spice 6/8 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
nuttiness 7/5 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
fruit 3/4 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
sweetness 5/5 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating 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.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
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 Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).