Knob Creek Straight Small Batch Rye

Brian’s Knob Creek Straight Rye Review:

02-March-2021

KNOB CREEK STRAIGHT RYE REVIEW:

Knob Creek Straight Rye is simply a nice whiskey. I’ll admit, it is the first rye to pass my lips and I’m happy to say, I’ll make a place for it on my shelf. While I cannot pickup or discern particular fruits or confections, there is a nice sweetness about this pour which balances the subtle woody elements.

KNOB CREEK STRAIGHT RYE VITAL STATS:
Knob Creek Straight Rye

Category: Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey
Region: Clermont, KY,
Country: United States
Distillery: Knob Creek
Mash Bill: unpublished, at least 51% Rye (internet consensus totals ~ 55% rye, 35% corn, 10% malted barley)
Barrel Char: #4
Barrel entry proof: unpublished
Age: nas
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
No batch or bottle number identifiers

Learn more at Knob Creek.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, this rye was enjoyed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this rye here!

KNOB CREEK RYE NOSE:

Knob Creek Straight Rye offers a dry warming nip, and a touch of burn with deep nosing. I also sense some light floral notes in a touch of sherry backed by a truckload of dry grain. In each waft there are faint notes of fresh tart apples, maraschino cherries and plump red raisins. Rye is front and center and presents as both a spice and yeasty bread. The nose is not sweet yet I do sense an underlying confection hiding in dry seasoned sawdust, hazy barrel spice and the char of toasted wood. This is a gentle and simple whiskey with nice notes of worn old leather.

KNOB CREEK RYE PALATE:

The first sip of Knob Creek Straight Rye is easy to hold and I find it dry and warm. As on the nose, I get light floral notes in sherry and herbal dusty grain. While for me the only fruit element I taste is the skin of pealed pears and they are a bit difficult to discern, but spices of cinnamon, warm ginger, pepper and rye assert themselves. Yet the only sweet I can pick up is of simple syrup which is just enough to balance the hint of hazelnuts. And like on the nose, dry sawdust, hazy toasted wood and old leather are in each mouthful.

Knob Creek Straight Rye

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Knob Creek Rye is well blended and an easy sipper. While not particularly full, this spirit is smooth and oily with a pleasant coppery feel when held. In the Glencairn, fast falling narrow channels return the liquid to the chestnut colored pool, leaving an irregularly formed inverted crown.

KNOB CREEK RYE FINISH:

Knob Creek Straight Rye has a short warm and dry gentle finish. Its herbal grain fades in and out as do the spices of pepper and rye. And like I sensed on the nose and palate, dry sawdust, toasted wood and old leather fade away after each sip. When the last dram is drained, the empty Glencairn smells of sweet light oak. This is an inviting rye.

MY RATING: 87/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
At this price point it has a place in my bunker.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

Click 87/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Knob Creek.

KNOB CREEK STRAIGHT RYE TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Knob Creek Straight Rye
Knob Creek Straight Rye

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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Review

Hannah’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Review

Original review written February 23, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Though the mouth feel didn’t quite impress me, I think all of the flavors make for an interesting and unique profile, and I could see myself reaching for this again. 88/100

VITALS:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Review

– Made In: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Barrel Proof; Small Batch
– Age: 12 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=78%; Rye=10; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– Non-chill filtered
– ABV: 61.8% (123.6 proof)
– Price: $59.99 USD in Idaho

Visit heavenhill.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

This fits in well in a rose garden setting, with the thorns perhaps being in a higher concentration than the blossoms themselves. The sky could be a little gray, and the atmosphere is a little humid, but it’s peaceful nonetheless. A121 keeps the intrigue alive without being too pushy or aggressive.

Photo by Yousef Espanioly on Unsplash

NOSE:

This nose certainly has the dark depth of an ECBP without question. Dark brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, and white pepper burst from the glass first, with accompanying oak being old and deep. The alcohol isn’t particularly pungent here, or at least it’s less intense than I would imagine anything above 120 proof to be. Deep draws coax out earth and corn, but again, the scent is very rich and warm. There is also a bit of seasoned leather, figs, and prunes that blend well with the other aromas that work together to make an overall, very exciting invitation.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: I find this a little watery, to be honest. Once it moves around the palate, it graduates to an oily feel, but as it touches the tip of the tongue and the lips, it feels very light and thin.
– Balance: Decent. Nothing sticks out awkwardly, aside from a slight bitterness, but it’s still enjoyable.
– Visual: Flame in color, there is a clinging droplet crown and long, clinging legs.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Review

– Taste: Grapes, oak, fruit leather, and corn are the first things I notice to cross my palate. The corn seems present, but it is bland and turns a bit more vegetable-y. In a way, though whiskey is a liquid, this almost has a crunch to it and strangely reminds me of water chestnuts. Black pepper and ginger kick in as well, along with a bitterness at the back of the tongue, almost like a bitter walnut. There is a floral element here also, and perhaps it is also contributing to the bitterness that I am finding. If I had to venture a guess, I would say that it’s rosy.

The alcohol is hot, but it isn’t something that really scares me much. In fact, I think with the mouth feel, it almost seems tame. When I do a Kentucky Chew, however, the alcohol strengthens into a black pepper/cinnamon haze with a touch of cherry and that rosy walnut bitterness.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Actually quite short. The alcohol futilely kicks a little, but not much. And the flavors just linger softly.
– Between Sips: Fruit leather, rose, and a light oak sit between sips, and make for a little bitter aftertaste, but it’s not unpleasant.

– No More: I think the oaky woodiness gets stronger the further into the glass I get, while any of the sweet notes I had noted earlier seem to dissipate. The bitterness kicks up as well, and while it does not taste bad, I do wish there was a bit more variety.

The empty Glencairn is a sweet oak with a bit of white pepper spice that is refreshing and stinging. It would have been interesting to see these flavors in the glass and pour itself, but it is nice, I suppose, to get a glimpse of what could have been here.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

– This section written on February 26, 2021 –

Water can often tame bold whiskeys and the addition of 2-4 drops will not radically change the proof of the pour. Rather water may help open the spirit allowing the aromas and flavors to bloom. As such, 2 and 4 drops of distilled water were added to their own respective 1.5 oz. pours of ECBP A121 to detect any potential differences:

A tangy fruit leather comes out, and immediately I know that I enjoy this bourbon more with the addition of two drops rather than neat. The ginger also is stronger along with dark brown sugar. It’s far less bitter than it was when I first sampled this, and overall, it is sweeter as well. I also find some herbal tones to this, which improves its complexity for me. (RATING: 89/100)

With four drops, it’s as though the heat has actually been kicked up! There is a hint more of black pepper, and now the introduction of a dark fruit. Perhaps it is figs. Again, like with the two drops, there is little to no bitterness that was found in the neat pour. However, unlike the two drop pour, the grassiness fades, replaced predominantly by sweetness and the touch of spice. (RATING: 93/100)

WORTH THE PRICE?

As far as Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs go, I’d say there are better offerings that I’ve had, but this one is still entertaining, and for $60, I think it’s a fair price. I can see how this could be very enjoyable as it’s very unique and original. For me, adding water definitely improved it and I am certainly more willing to go for another glass later. Would I buy it again? I think so.

OVERALL RATING: 88/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

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Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121

Brian’s Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 Review:

23-February-2021

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 BOURBON REVIEW:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 (ECBP A121) drinks below its 123.6 proof and is another fine offering in the ECBP line up. For those of us who enjoy dark oaky bourbon, it works even though A121 is not as sweet as some of its siblings. Its flavor also lacks the fruitiness I’ve come to expect from some ECBP offerings. A small amount of water will help this spirit bloom, yet I enjoy this bourbon neat. I’ll be reaching for this bottle again soon.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 BOURBON VITAL STATS:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121

Category: Small Batch Barrel Proof
Region: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill/Bernheim Distillery
Mashbill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Barrel entry proof: 125
Age: 12 Years
Non-chill filtered
ABV: 61.8% (123.6 Proof)
Availability: Tri-anual Limited Release
Released): January 2021
Batch: A121
▪”A” First release of the year
▪”1″ Released in January
▪”21″ Released in 2021
Price: $59.99 (2021-Idaho)

Learn more at Heaven Hill Distillery.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, the first 1.4 ounces from the newly opened bottle were poured into our Infinity Bottle Project. Alternate pours into two Glencairns were made to achieve review portions. The bourbon was enjoyed neat with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 NOSE:

ECBP A121 doesn’t waft from the bottle like many bourbons do when the synthetic cork is pulled. But, when I bring the Glencairn to my nose, I get a dry warming bite of roasted corn and dusty grain. I’m also treated to ripe berries, dark cherries, currents, dark plums, and dried dark fruits of raisin, prune and fig as well as spices of white pepper and rye. The first sweets I smell are of yellow cake, chocolate nibs, and vanilla custard, all of which fade to vanilla taffy, buttery brown sugar, and cashew toffee. I don’t pick up much wood on the nose, just a bit of sweet toasted oak and notes of fresh tanned leather.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 PALATE:

The first sip of ECBP A121 is fairly easy to hold, with only a slight tickle to my tongue. When finally swallowed, the sip gives my throat a warm bite. After a good Kentucky Chew, I get a floral potpourri of dried flowers and grassy notes. Sensations of roasted corn and dusty grain are also present in each mouthful. Continued sipping brings on dark currants and dried dark figs which dance with spices of warm ginger and black pepper and dark sweets of dark vanilla, burnt sugar, woody caramel, dark molasses, and dark toffee. And then comes the lumber; bitter walnuts, dry and heavy oak and musty hazy barrel char.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
Solid and well blended, ECBP A121 is a rich and oily liquid and yet oddly, without much body. In the Glencairn, long fat legs cling to the glass walls before returning the liquid to the mahogany colored pool. The droplets then fade quickly away.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 FINISH:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121 finishes with lingering heat … even a slight bite at the back of the throat. The dried flower and grassy elements sensed in the mouth fade into dusty grain as do the dark dried figs. Warm ginger and rye nearly overpower any burnt woody caramel and dark molasses. The bitter walnut sensed in each sip, fades as dry heavy oak and barrel char dominate the finish.

THE ADDITION OF WATER

Water can often tame big, bold whiskeys and the addition of 2-4 drops will not radically change the proof of the pour. Rather, water may help open the spirit which can then allow the aromas and flavors to bloom. Therefore water was added to A121 in controlled amounts three evenings after the initial tasting in effort to discover its effect.

I added two drops of distilled water to 1.5 ounces of ECBP A121. Cinnamon now greets the tongue on the first sip and the grassy notes are slightly subdued. The roasted corn and dusty grain as well as the dark fruits remain. The small amount of water seems to enhance ECBP A121’s sweetness. The burnt sugar element is diminished as is the bitterness sensed the initial tasting. Still, the dry and heavy oak and hazy barrel char remain. Two drops of water improved A121.

After the two drop dram was downed, a fresh 1.5 ounce pour of ECBP A121 was made and four drops of distilled water were added. The warm ginger and black pepper I noted a few days back seem to be even more pronounced. The pour remains dark, but distinct flavors noted during the initial tasting have blended and the hazy barrel char seems to dominate the sweetness and fruits. For me, two drops per 1.5 ounces is about right … four drops of water may be a bit much.

MY ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 RATING: 88/100; 90/100 w/ 2 drops of water

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
I am ALWAYS watching for ECBP offerings.
Click to read Brian’s scoring process.

When enjoyed NEAT, click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

When enjoyed with water, click 90/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Elijah Craig.

ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A121 TRAITS AND FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121

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