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:
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Mash Bill: unpublished, at least 51% Rye (internet consensus totals ~ 55% rye, 35% corn, 10% malted barley)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Barrel entry proof: unpublished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.
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:
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