Compare
Penelope Architect vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Comparing Penelope Architect and Knob Creek 12 Year reveals a matchup between a sourced, even-keeled blend and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Architect | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +4 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$60 – $70 | ~$55 – $70 |
- Knob Creek 12 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
Penelope Architect
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Architect Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: Penelope Architect 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Penelope Architect 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Penelope Architect 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Penelope Architect: Penelope's four-grain blend finished with French oak staves chosen for their tannin. The French oak adds berry, cherry and warm spice to a vanilla-heavy base.
- 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 Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice.
- 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 (Penelope Architect); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).