Knob Creek’s signature Bourbon with a loud and proud age statement of twelve years.
Knob Creek is one of the special “small batch” brands of Beam-Suntory. Along with it’s sister labels — Booker’s, Baker’s, and Basil Hayden’s — it’s tailored to the more discriminating Bourbon-lover (and that means YOU). The Knob Creek brand was first launched in 1992, and since then they have changed it very little — remaining dedicated to reproducing a pre-Prohibition style Bourbon experience with a higher ABV that makes it a Bourbon-of-Choice for discriminating cocktail aficionados everywhere while winning awards and turning heads.
Knob Creek’s signature Bourbon is famously aged to taste. And a marvelous taste it is, too. But this dram is something different. Knob Creek 12 Year Old Bourbon has a bold age statement right there on the label — twelve years in new oak. And just like its younger sibling, Knob Creek 12 Year Old is bottled at 50% ABV. All you have to do is add up those stats — premium crafted Bourbon, aged twelve years, bottled at a high proof. What you have here is magic in a bottle my friend.
What does Knob Creek 12 Year Old Bourbon taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Knob Creek 12 Year Old Bourbon and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
Bourbon matures quicker than Scotch due to higher temperatures in American warehouses.
Nose / Aroma / Smell
The aromas follow the core maker’s mark with Cracker Jacks, cinnamon and clove, and vanilla.
Flavor / Taste / Palate
The flavor profile is powerful and deep, but very smooth with baking spices, whipped butter, red velvet cake, cinnamon, warm cream, and a warm spice.
Finish
The finish is long and exciting with notes of caramel sauce and warm baking spices.
Taste of oak, vanilla up front and a slight caramel tone coalesced with 100 octane on the end (enjoyed neat; no complaint)...almost undetectable black pepper on finish; definitely, a different animal versus the 9 year old....this will have a permanent spot in my whiskey cabinet.
GEORGE,
Best of the KC’s! Great balance, plenty of oak, vanilla and dark fruits. Smooth with a long finish, really tasty.
Ron,
Good stuff!
Andy,
Tasted like methanol..
Matthew,
Amazing bourbon, great sipping whiskey.
Derik,
Super smooth. This tastes awesome. Lots of different flavors bouncing off the tongue. I got this because it was supposed to be compared to Bookers. Been a while since I've tasted Bookers which I really liked this one will have to compare just as well.
TR,
Stock up on this for sure... add this to your bar ASAP!!!
guest,
Well balanced. Drinks like a lighter proof, but holds up well with a bit of water or ice.
Richard,
I was hoping for more out of a 12 year. I love the 9-year single barrel and I was hoping for more complexity with 3 more years. It was good, some of the traditional Beam nutty flavor. Just a little short and a little flat. It’s good but didn’t meet my expectations.
Mike,
Probably one of my favorites to get released this year. If you're a fan on Knob Creek, this one won't let you down.
Matthew,
Right amount of char and vanilla hint of cherry. Great strength for sipping straight or in an old fashioned.
John,
One of the best I've tried! I actually like it more than the 15yr LE because the oak is not as prominent, making way for the other flavors to shine through (vanilla, caramel, peanuts).
James,
Strong flavor
guest,
Great sipper.
Burton,
Aromas leap out of the glass. Very prominent syrup, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla. Flavors of cola, tea, vanilla. Nice long finish. I'm impressed.
Samuel,
I have not opened it yet, but if it is as good as my 1st bottle it gets 10 stars
DENISE,
excellent
DAVID,
Tasted the same as the standard 9 yr old standard store bourbon. Not worth the extra money
Orlando,
Vanilla and roasted peanuts opens up with a ice cube. Very good 7.5/10
elijah,
Better than the 15
Sean,
Great bourbon at a great price. Super smooth with a wonderful nose and finish.
Brad,
This was a very smooth bourbon. I picked up vanilla and dark fruit on the nose. Had a great mouth feel and a nice finish. For the price, I would consider picking up a bottle, but not an outstanding value. Enjoyed the experience.
Rodney,
Excellent
David,
Great bourbon. One of my go to's. In a blind tasting, my friends and I liked this as much as Blantons (which is usually our favorite). Give it a try.
Matthew,
It is noticeably smoother than KC9 Small Batch, and one of my go-to's when giving a newer bourbon drinker something higher-end but easy to sip. A little expensive considering you can find a KC SiB Store Pick for around the same price and often less, but this is easy to find and a clear upgrade over regular KC. But not in the same class as any of the Store Picks IMO (or the amazing KC 25th Anniversary).
Craig,
Definitely delivers rich flavor and nice spice for the price! At $60 it’s a competitor with other bourbons at this price point. I would not pay much more for it and if it was cheaper it would be an everyday sipper for sure.
James,
Really smooth, oaky bourbon. Feels rich in the mouth. I’d rather have two 9 years at the same cost as one 12 year.
Keith,
I currently have about twenty different boutbons in my bourbon room, and this is one of my fav's.
Erik,
Absolutely delicious, if you like the Jim Beam nuttiness and a healthly dose of oak in your bourbon then this will do you just right
Brandon,
Huge flavorful punch of spice followed by long lingering sweetness one of my favorite ryes
Paige,
On the nose distant notes of black pepper display while toffee soaked peaches and dried cherries are abundant. Burnt oak and rye spice begin on the palate, followed by vanilla caramelized peanuts on the mid, trailed by traces of worn leather and buttered waffles on the backend. This 12 Year has a slightly oily mouthfeel and the finish is quite thin given its age statement. Final notes of honeyed oak, cinnamon and caramels taper quickly.
.
All in all, it’s a great age stated release from Knob Creek but falls a little short on the finish for me as if it was tailored for the mid and backend palate in my opinion.