Compare
Knob Creek 9 Year vs Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon
Knob Creek 9 Year and Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 15% wheat, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years +5 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +13 proof | 87 proof (43.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 ~$5 less | ~$40 – $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.
Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon
Didn't care for this one.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/2 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon 2 out of 10
oak 8/4 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon 4 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon 3 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon 3 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon 6 out of 10
fruit 3/4 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon: A farm-to-bottle wheater from northern Illinois. Soft red winter wheat keeps it gentle and bready, with caramel and vanilla up front and very little bite at 87 proof.
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 Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon if you want a soft, easygoing wheated bourbon made start to finish on one Midwest farm.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); rocks, highball, cocktails (Whiskey Acres Straight Bourbon).