Knob Creek 09 YR Small Batch Review

Hannah’s Knob Creek 09 YR Small Batch Review

Original review written December 7, 2019

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

A Jim Beam product, I don’t know why this isn’t valued as a more premiere bourbon than it’s brother, Basil Hayden’s. If you like wood-forward bourbons, this is for you! 84/100

VITALS:
Knob Creek 09 YR Small Batch Review

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Jim Beam Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Small Batch
– Age: 9 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=77%; Rye=13%; Malted Barley=10%
– Casks: New charred oak; Char #4
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 50% (100 proof)
– Price: $29.95 USD in Idaho

Visit knobcreek.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

It’s a misty, cloudy day in the Redwood National Forest of California, but the air somehow remains crisp. Trees tower over you and your smallness in the scope of the universe could not be more apparent, and this gives you a warm peace to anchor to.

Photo by Nina Luong on Unsplash

NOSE:

There is vanilla and dried cranberries that greet the nose that mix to an almost biscotti aroma. (YUM). The vanilla has an alcohol bite, lending itself to a fine richness that’s appropriate for the proof. Cloves and rye accompany the sweet for a pleasant balance. I can also find a toffee element on the deeper inhales, lightened up by a dash of vanilla. Mellow and sweet oak blend all of the flavors together in a very inviting way.

PALATE:
Knob Creek 09 YR Small Batch Review

– Mouth Feel: Gentle feel, but the proof kicks you back before you get used to it.
– Balance: This is a good blend, but I wish other flavors could bloom a little more.
– Visual: Tawny in color, many legs move quickly to coat the glass and create an uneven crown.

– Taste: Wood-forward on the first sip, coupled with the alcohol burn. However, it’s a soft wood – maybe pine? Other flavors include some rye and a barely-there bread at the back of the palate. Peanuts can be tasted with the bourbon resting in the middle of the tongue – almost to the point of becoming the peanut butter just under the surface of a coating of peanut oil in a fresh jar. It eventually fades back into the wood.

I’m hunting for the fruit component observed on the nose, but it is not distinguishable.

With a Kentucky chew, the wood is a commanding force and not much else can be identified. However, the chew does appear to be where the fruit resides, albeit subtle. If I had to pick a fruit, it could be currants, but not in their raw form.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Short. My main complaint of this bourbon.
– Between Sips: There’s maybe a hint of currant, but you’re left with the impression of wood more than anything else.

– No More: No matter how far I get in the glass, the wood stays dominant, and I’m not complaining. This is quite enjoyable.

The empty Glencairn is naturally an overwhelming oak, but there is an alcohol essence that makes a resurgence just at the end.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Definitely. It deserves a spot in the bunker.

RATING: 84/100

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Click 84/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Knob Creek.

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