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Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve vs Four Roses Single Barrel
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Four Roses Single Barrel sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve | Four Roses Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 9 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 120 proof (60% ABV) +20 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$45 – $55 |
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 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 Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Four Roses Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Four Roses Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 3/7 fruit: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10
oak 8/6 oak: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
heat 8/6 heat: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
spice 7/8 spice: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- 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.
- Four Roses Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
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 Four Roses Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve); neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel).