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Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve vs Four Roses Small Batch Select
On paper Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Four Roses Small Batch Select are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so proof (120 vs. 104) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve | Four Roses Small Batch Select |
|---|---|---|
| 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 +3 yr | 6 years |
| Proof | 120 proof (60% ABV) +16 proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 ~$10 less | ~$55 – $65 |
- 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 Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Four Roses Small Batch Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 3/8 fruit: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10
nuttiness 7/3 nuttiness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10
oak 8/6 oak: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
heat 8/6 heat: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
spice 7/7 spice: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 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 Small Batch Select: Six recipes, non-chill-filtered, at 104 proof, and the most complete thing Four Roses makes at a normal price. The house fruit character with enough proof and texture to carry it.
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 with an older age statement.
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve); neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select).