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Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve vs Knob Creek 9 Year
Comparing Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Knob Creek 9 Year reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve | Knob Creek 9 Year |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 9 years |
| Proof | 120 proof (60% ABV) +20 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$35 – $40 ~$13 less |
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Knob Creek 9 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Knob Creek 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Knob Creek 9 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/5 heat: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10
oak 8/8 oak: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 3/3 fruit: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10
nuttiness 7/7 nuttiness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 7 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.
- 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.
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 Knob Creek 9 Year if you want a classic peanut-and-oak-forward Kentucky bourbon with an older age statement at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year).