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Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year vs Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year | Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 68% corn, 18% rye, 14% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | 9 years +5 yr |
| Proof | 125.2 proof (62.6% ABV) +5 proof | 120 proof (60% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$65 – $75 | ~$45 – $55 ~$20 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve do not publish an official mash bill.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
Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/8 oak: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 4 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 3 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 7 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 6 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 6 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 7 out of 10
heat 9/8 heat: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year 9 out of 10, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year: Willett's own young distillate at full barrel proof. It is loud and sweet, all caramel corn, pastry and citrus, with a lot of heat for a four-year bourbon. Proof varies by batch.
- Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve: The same nine-year Knob Creek juice bottled from a single barrel at 120 proof, and the extra strength suits it. Everything the standard bottling does, turned up — with the barrel-to-barrel variation that comes with the format.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year if you want a young, hot, barrel-proof pour that shows off Willett's own distillate with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve if you want the Beam profile at serious proof for well under what most barrel-strength bourbons cost with an older age statement.
Best enjoyed neat (Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve).