Compare
Knob Creek 9 Year vs Wild Turkey 101
Comparing Knob Creek 9 Year and Wild Turkey 101 is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$35 – $40 vs. ~$25 – $30).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek 9 Year | Wild Turkey 101 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 101 proof (50.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $40 | ~$25 – $30 ~$10 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.
Wild Turkey 101
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek 9 Year Wild Turkey 101
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 3 out of 10
spice 6/8 spice: Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 8 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10
oak 8/7 oak: Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 7 out of 10
fruit 3/4 fruit: Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 4 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey 101 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- 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.
- Wild Turkey 101: The workhorse high-rye Kentucky bourbon and one of the best proof-to-price ratios anywhere. Vanilla and orange up front, then a genuinely spicy, peppery, tobacco-tinged middle that punches well above $25.
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 Wild Turkey 101 if you want bold rye spice and real proof at the lowest price of anything comparable.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Wild Turkey 101).