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Old Grand-Dad Bonded vs Knob Creek 9 Year
Old Grand-Dad Bonded and Knob Creek 9 Year are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is age (4 years vs. 9 years).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Grand-Dad Bonded | Knob Creek 9 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | 9 years +5 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$24 – $30 ~$11 less | ~$35 – $40 |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded and Knob Creek 9 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 9 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Grand-Dad Bonded Knob Creek 9 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/8 oak: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 8 out of 10
spice 8/6 spice: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 5/7 nuttiness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 3 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/5 sweetness: Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 9 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
- 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 Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money.
- Go with Knob Creek 9 Year if you want a classic peanut-and-oak-forward Kentucky bourbon with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Knob Creek 9 Year).