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Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve vs Angel’s Envy
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Angel’s Envy sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a new-wave, classically built craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve | Angel’s Envy |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 120 proof (60% ABV) +33 proof | 86.6 proof (43.3% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$45 – $55 |
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Angel’s Envy do not publish an official mash bill.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 Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Angel’s Envy
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Angel’s Envy
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/3 heat: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Angel’s Envy 3 out of 10
fruit 3/7 fruit: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10, Angel’s Envy 7 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Angel’s Envy 3 out of 10
spice 7/4 spice: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Angel’s Envy 4 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Angel’s Envy 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10, Angel’s Envy 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve: The same nine-year Knob Creek juice bottled from a single barrel at 120 proof, and the extra strength suits it. Everything the standard bottling does, turned up — with the barrel-to-barrel variation that comes with the format.
- Angel’s Envy: Finished in port barrels, which pushes it well away from the traditional bourbon template toward berry and raisin sweetness. Divisive among purists and extremely popular with everyone else.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve if you want the Beam profile at serious proof for well under what most barrel-strength bourbons cost.
- Go with Angel’s Envy if you want an overtly fruity, port-finished bourbon that breaks from the traditional profile on purpose.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve); neat, rocks (Angel’s Envy).