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Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve vs Uncle Nearest 1856
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Uncle Nearest 1856 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve | Uncle Nearest 1856 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 9 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 120 proof (60% ABV) +20 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve and Uncle Nearest 1856 do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Uncle Nearest 1856
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Uncle Nearest 1856
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/5 heat: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
nuttiness 7/4 nuttiness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 4 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
fruit 3/5 fruit: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10
oak 8/7 oak: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10, Uncle Nearest 1856 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.
- Uncle Nearest 1856: Named for Nathan 'Nearest' Green, the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel, and now backed by the brand's own distillery in Shelbyville. Sweet and maple-leaning with the charcoal-mellowed softness of the style.
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 Uncle Nearest 1856 if you want a sweet, maple-forward Tennessee whiskey with a story worth knowing behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Uncle Nearest 1856).