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Penelope Toasted Series vs Knob Creek 12 Year
On paper Penelope Toasted Series and Knob Creek 12 Year are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so personal preference more than spec is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Toasted Series | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 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 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Penelope Toasted Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Toasted Series Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Penelope Toasted Series 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
oak 7/9 oak: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Penelope Toasted Series: Finished in a second, freshly toasted barrel, which pushes it toward toffee, roasted coffee and darker oak. The toast level changes from batch to batch.
- 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 Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- 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 Toasted Series); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).