Knob Creek
is another label in the Jim Beam family of small batch, premium bourbons. It is a popular label, commonly seen in bars that stock small batches. It is unusual in a number of respects: color and flavor, lengthy aging period and eye-catching rectangular bottle. While not the best bourbon on the market, it wields distinct qualities that any budding whiskey aficionado should explore.
Identification
Straight bourbon whiskey is distinguished from other forms of whiskey by a handful of characteristics. First, the alcohol must be made from a mixture that contains at least 51% corn. It cannot be distilled to higher than 160 proof, and it must be aged in new charred oak barrels for at least 2 years. Bourbon whiskey does not necessarily need to be made in Kentucky, although most of it is. The limestone groundwater of Kentucky lends quality to the taste of Kentucky-made bourbon, and this is not generally found elsewhere, but it is not legally required that bourbon whiskey necessarily come from the Bluegrass State.
Types
Knob Creek is a small batch bourbon, which means that it is a blended whiskey drawn literally from a small batch. It is not a mass-market whiskey. Small batches are typically aged for 8 years.
Features
Knob Creek is a premium, small batch label produced by the Jim Beam distillery. It is a 100 proof bourbon that is aged for 9 years. It comes in a distinctive rectangular bottle with a black wax seal.
Significance
Knob Creek is named for the same creek in the home of the Jim Beam distillery in Bullitt County, Kentucky. It is a part of the effort of the Beam distillery to tap into the surge of interest in high quality whiskey. Unlike some of Beam's other small batch labels, Knob Creek does not have any ties to a longer tradition.
Expert Insight
Knob Creek packs a wallop and tastes every bit of its 100 proof. Curiously, while it is not as strong as the very high proof bourbons (Noah's Mill or George T. Stagg), it is not quite as smooth and therefore tastes just like what it is. Its longer than usual aging period imparts a light sweetness and smokiness, as well a darker color, and the drink goes down with bite. Knob Creek is a complicated bourbon for someone who wants a little fire in his whiskey.
Tags: Knob Creek, small batch, Beam distillery, aged years, aging period