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Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof and Knob Creek 12 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 13 years +1 yr | 12 years |
| Proof | 123.8 proof (61.9% ABV) +24 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$200 – $300 | ~$55 – $70 ~$188 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof and Knob Creek 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
heat 8/5 heat: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
oak 8/9 oak: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof: Thirteen-year Wild Turkey at full barrel proof, uncut and unfiltered. Cola, molasses and fruit cobbler sit on deep, charred oak, and each release carries its own proof.
- 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 Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof if you want an old, uncut Wild Turkey with cola, cobbler and serious oak 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 at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Barrel Proof); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).