Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is made by Jim Beam. It is in fact the exact same whiskey that’s found in Jim Beam White with three big differences. For starters Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is aged for at least 9 years; JBW is only aged for about 4. KC SiB is 120 proof (60%); JBW clocks in at the bare minimum 80 (40%) – which means more bourbon and less water in your bottle with KC. KC SiB comes from a single solitary barrel, making the product a continually unique experience; each run of JBW is a combination of hundreds of barrels in an effort to keep it tasting the same year over year.
Those unique properties of single barrel bottles is what makes them so fantastic. For example, Four Roses Single Barrel is one of my favorite whiskeys and when I drink it I’m not looking for consistency, like with Four Roses Yellow, I’m looking for variety. I’m looking for what’s different from one barrel to the next; the same goes for Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve. That’s also why this week on TWJ I’m going to review 4 different barrels starting with this, a bottle the of the standard issue Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve I picked up at my local Bevmo.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Info
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam
Mashbill: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Cask: New charred oak
Age: 9 Years
ABV: 60%
Price: $50
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Review
EYE
Saddle leather
NOSE
Corn, buttered biscuits and caramel. Add a dash of dried dark fruit, vanilla and a light bit of butterscotch and wood. Combine all of that, turn the volume own and you have the general idea. It’s a light and underwhelming nose. The Standard Knob Creek release beats this single barrel hands down in the aroma department.
PALATE
The flavor is a different story than the aroma with richer notes of dark fruit, toasted grain, wood, brown sugar, corn and spice. Some nice bits of caramel, brûlée and a hint of astringency pop in towards the end and add some great dimensions to the satisfying favor of this whiskey.
FINISH
Woody with notes of caramel, spice, corn and red licorice that die out quickly and turn back to wood for the long haul.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Moderate balance, thin body and a hot watery mouthfeel.
OVERALL
The nose on this Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is the biggest downfall of this bourbon followed by the experience (balance, body & feel). If everything was as rich and full as the flavor this would have been a stellar bottle / barrel of whiskey, but alas… it wasn’t and that’s both the pleasure and the pain of single barrels. When they’re on, they’re on and when they’re not, they’re a let down.
99 times out of a 100 releases like this are still better than the lowest level of whiskey these big producers put out (Old Crow in this case) so coming across a complete bomb isn’t likely… but it’s also not impossible. It’s a bit like playing Russian Roulette, but with exceedingly better odds and a significantly better outcome should you lose.
SCORE: 84/100
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Review - Score Breakdown
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Value
For the most part Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is a good value. This one didn’t impress me much, but it won’t dissuade me from buying more in the future.
Overall
- Nose - 82
- Palate - 86
- Finish - 85
- Balance, Body & Feel - 83
To each is own, but as a Knob Creek lover I think the single barrel reserve is horrid. Basically, it tastes just like every other crap bourbon out there except with a sharp cut that overpowers to the point of tasting like straight alcohol. I may as well be drinking All Clear. The thing that sets Knob Creek apart from all other bourbons is the fullness and suitably of flavors. In fact, it is my opinion that Knob Creek is not only the best bourgeon, but the only bourbon that taste like bourbon was meant to taste. The single barrel reserve, however, is harsh and tasteless by lacking the burnt wood, caramel, and vanilla notes that make regular Knob Creek so enjoyable. I can’t believe I paid $12 more for a bottle of this swill, which I will be pouring down the kitchen drain. There goes $60. Should have stuck to my regular Knob Creek instead of believing all these bogus reviews about the single barrel reserve, which is night and ay apart from regular Knob Creek and not in a good way.
I heard Beam has evened the demand curve and will resume age-stating their small batch product at 9 years. Their kc single barrel is superlative
I’d love to see them bring back the AS on Basil Hayden
All of knob creek single barrel is superlative Not really hit or miss but this last purchase is a walk off home run. Assuming same barrel same carton. Hopefully
Finally got a chance to try this. It was a barrel select from a local liquor store. Bourbon concentrate for sure with intense vanilla spice/dark brown sugar sweetness and an astringent oaky finish. Very rich old school bourbon flavor overall. Not as complex as Bookers but darn close, at least this barrel. Thanks for the review Josh. Always enjoy your comentaries and envy your job/hobby!
I love KC single barrel. but agree that the small batch nose beats it. I have a quarter-filled 1.75 liter bottle of the small batch and the aroma is incredibly fruity, plums and dates marinating in rum.
Thanks for sharing Vern, cheers!
Hey Josh,
How do they differ from one another?
Hi Chip,
I’m not quite sure what you mean. Unless you get bottles from the same barrel it will always be a different experience because they come from different barrels.
Sorry Josh, my question didn’t come across clearly. I meant to ask how KC SiB was different from KC SiB Special Reserve. Sounds like the former is a store pick, while the Special Reserve is not (all SiB that isn’t a store pick).
Ah, yeah that was just the old bottling.
It isnt a perfect world and this is close to a perfect Kentucky bourbon.
Sipping (neat) a $40 store bottling of KCSB Ladies Choice at the moment. The ladies know how to pick ’em. Just a fantastic barrel from nose to finish. If I was told you could only drink one bourbon for the next 3 years this would get serious consideration. And as a point of reference I’m also drinking ECBP C917 which is quite phenomenal, although I’m still trying to wrap my head around it as there’s so much going on with that bottling. Thank goodness I don’t have to make that choice as I like to change things up from week to week. But I love to revisit KCSB. Especially when you hit on a dandy like I have.
Great reviews Josh. Keep up the good work!
Thanks TPM and thanks for sharing. Cheers!
New bottle is somewhat different than the one i acquired several months ago – darker color, changed palate, equal finish… just as good or better Single barrel ……..
The joys of SiBs, cheers!
Nothing like this bourbon; I’d discourage spending any more , this is deep enough
Yes , Indeed.
you likely will not want to waste time or $$$. finding a better bourbon/
This whiskey is special, no doubt. Cheers, Josh; you write well.
Thank you Joe. Cheers!
That is the gamble, but hey, when the gamble pays off and it’s awesome there’s nothing better!
I just got a bottle of 13yr KCSB at Randall’s in St. Louis, MO for $40. Standard label shows 9yrs but special emblem shows the 13yr aging. I find the standard SB offering was more burn than pleasant but I couldn’t pass on a 13yr bourbon for $40! This one is robust with oak, caramel, brown sugar, and a bit of molasses. Surprisingly sweet given the age but an interesting pour. Not love at first sip and, so far, not up there with Booker’s, but curious to see how it grows on me. Going to let it breathe and see what happens.
Nice, that’s a pretty rare find to get one that old; great grab. Thanks for sharing, cheers!
Curious how you would compare this to Bookers?
Some barrels are better than some batches of Booker’s but on the whole I think Booker’s batches tend to be more up my alley than most of the KC SiBs I’ve had.
Cheers!
The SB phenomena is quite real. Proven by other offerings.
In some cases, the only thing improved is the distiller’s bottom line. For instance, WT 101 is the best of that line – and the SB Russell’s offers no improvement, and even less in the taste department. Paying $2.21. oz versus $.76/oz simply gained me a lighter wallet. Note that the Russell’s is not bad, it simply is not worth paying 3 times more.
Henry McKenna BiB,SB 10 Yr. also shows some variation between barrels, but it is all good since it is bourbon. And, thrifty in price.
Not surprising that Knob Creek SB follows in the same pattern. I’m sure that some barrels are much tastier than some others.
All that to say that there are some very good, tasty bourbons at non-premium prices out there.
Good review and certainly the caution about SB offerings is prominent and not easily missed.
That’s the pleasure and the pain of SiBs in a nutshell, cheers Al!
Josh….I hate to join the crowd on this one but I just opened my first bottle of Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve (standard issue from my ABC store)and was blown away at how expressive, bold, and just bourbon goodness this was. I’m a cigar smoker sometimes with a good bourbon and immediately went to my humidor to grab one and smoke while enjoying this bourbon neat. (Big) Also, considering I got this on sale for $43.95, could not be happier. Maybe not the most complex or nuanced of SBR’s out there (As in the Four Roses which I love too) but the boldness and big classic bourbon flavors of this one is a real keeper for me. Best Regards!
Sounds like you got a good barrel. That’s the thing with SiBs. Most are pretty good, some are stellar and then you get some that are duds. I definitely got a dud with this one. :/
P.S.,
I forgot to mention that the Knob Creek SBR I had was a pick from my local liquor store, maybe that makes a difference? I guess I’ll have to look for another expression to see what type of spread there is among the different barrels.
Again, I really like your site. Great place to get a quick lowdown on good whisky.
Thanks Grey and yeah those single barrels can have huge variance. Some I’ve had were “meh” and others have been “hell yeah”.
Cheers!
I think you’re bit nuts on this one. Thus far Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is the best Bourbon I’ve drank thus far. It’s fiery (in a good way) and has a beautiful depth of flavor and a great mouth feel and woody sweet finish. It blows Old Grand-Dad 114 out of the water though it should since it’s ten bucks more. Sorry that you paid $50.00 bucks, what’s up with that?
I’m going to be trying the Old Weller Antique 107 in a next week or so and I hope it stands up to the KCSBR. I did really like the Old Grand-Dad 114 though, it just missed when compared to the Knob Creek SBR.
Awesome site man.
Thanks man, and i replied to your reply… reply :)
Cheers!
Wow. I have to disagree with you on this. It is one of my very favorite bourbons. I think it is one of the best overall expressions of American bourbon (at the price point).
Single barrels can vary wildly. I’ve had some great ones and some not so great ones… this was a not so great one.
Cheers!
The nose on this is amazing, you should get your nostrils checked.
Single barrels literally change from barrel to barrel. There’s no possible way you’re smelling the same barrel I did when I wrote this. Just like the 3 others I’ve reviewed were vastly different and one was magnificent.