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Wild Turkey Rare Breed vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Comparing Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Knob Creek 12 Year reveals a matchup between an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Wild Turkey Rare Breed | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 116 proof (58% ABV) +16 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$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
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Good flavor.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
heat 8/5 heat: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
spice 8/6 spice: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
oak 8/9 oak: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
fruit 4/3 fruit: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed: Barrel-proof Wild Turkey at a price that still looks like a mistake. Everything the 101 does with considerably more force, and one of the most consistently praised bottles in its category.
- 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 Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you want barrel-proof spice and oak with a reputation to match, at half what comparable bottles cost 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 (Wild Turkey Rare Breed); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).