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Yellowstone Select vs Knob Creek 12 Year
Comparing Yellowstone Select and Knob Creek 12 Year reveals a matchup between a sourced, even-keeled blend and a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Yellowstone Select | Knob Creek 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +7 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 ~$18 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Yellowstone Select and Knob Creek 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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
Yellowstone Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Knob Creek 12 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Yellowstone Select Knob Creek 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 2/7 nuttiness: Yellowstone Select 2 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 7 out of 10
oak 5/9 oak: Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 9 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Yellowstone Select 4 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
fruit 5/3 fruit: Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 3 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Yellowstone Select 3 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Yellowstone Select 6 out of 10, Knob Creek 12 Year 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- Yellowstone Select: A revived historic brand from Limestone Branch. Light and creamy, with toasted oak, vanilla and peach and a short, peppery finish. Part of the proceeds support Yellowstone National Park.
- 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 Yellowstone Select if you want a light, creamy everyday sipper with a historic name 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 rocks, highball, old-fashioned (Yellowstone Select); neat, rocks (Knob Creek 12 Year).