Compare
Woodford Reserve vs Knob Creek 12 Year
On paper Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek 12 Year are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$35 – $42 vs. ~$55 – $70) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Woodford Reserve | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $42 ~$24 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
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Woodford Reserve Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/7 nuttiness: Woodford Reserve 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
oak 6/9 oak: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The house grain character is what splits these.
- Woodford Reserve: The most widely poured premium bourbon in America, and a genuinely well-made one. Dried fruit and cocoa over a balanced 18% rye mash, finished smooth enough to please almost anyone.
- 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 Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong at a lower price point.
- Go with Knob Creek 12 Year if you want the Beam house profile pushed as far into oak as it goes while staying balanced with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).