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Knob Creek 9 Year vs Penelope Rio
Knob Creek 9 Year and Penelope Rio sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +2 proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 ~$53 less | ~$80 – $100 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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.
Penelope Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 5/9 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
oak 8/4 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
fruit 3/6 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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.
- Penelope Rio: Penelope's four-grain blend finished in honey barrels and then amburana wood. It tastes like a cinnamon roll: honey, gingerbread and sweet baking spice.
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 significantly lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).