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Old Forester 1870 Original Batch vs Knob Creek 9 Year
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and Knob Creek 9 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch | Knob Creek 9 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 9 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$35 – $40 ~$13 less |
- Knob Creek 9 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Knob Creek 9 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 2/7 nuttiness: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10
oak 5/8 oak: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
- 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 Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series.
- 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, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year).