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Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style and Knob Creek 12 Year are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is proof (115 vs. 100).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style | Knob Creek 12 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 | 12 years |
| Proof | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +15 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$55 – $70 |
- Knob Creek 12 Year 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
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
oak 7/9 oak: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
heat 7/5 heat: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style: Dense and syrupy for its age, with molasses and dark chocolate carrying a serious 115-proof punch. The high rye reads as baking spice rather than sharpness, and the body is unusually thick.
- Knob Creek 12 Year: Three more years in the barrel than the standard Knob Creek, and the wood does all the talking. Deep oak and leather over the familiar Beam peanut note, drying toward genuinely tannic on the finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style if you want a rich, high-proof, dessert-leaning bourbon with real weight in the glass.
- Go with Knob Creek 12 Year if you want the Beam house profile pushed as far into oak as it goes while staying balanced.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).