Do you like bourbon, or are you more of a rye whiskey drinker? How about a blend of both? Jim Beam Small Batch Collection family member Knob Creek just announced the return of its Bourbon x Rye Kentucky Blended Straight Whiskey a year after it was first released, because apparently the people demanded more of this mashup of categories.
I reviewed the original release of this blend of whiskeys last year—which the brand said was a one-time thing at the time)—and was pretty impressed by it (I even predicted that it would come back for another round). Knob Creek is a core member of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection, which also includes Booker’s (barrel-proof bourbon), Baker’s (single-barrel bourbon), and Basil Hayden (80-proof bourbon and rye with some interesting expressions like Subtle Smoke in the mix). Knob Creek stands out from these as being a lineup of 100-proof bourbon (nine years old) and rye (seven years old), along with some excellent single barrel expressions and limited-edition age statements including 12, 15, and 18 years (the 15 is the sweet spot).
Bourbon x Rye does not have an age statement, but if it did it would have to be seven years old—that’s because it’s a blend of the age-stated rye whiskey and bourbon. According to a rep, the blend is exactly the same as the original: 70 percent rye and 30 percent bourbon which is bottled at 113 proof. Last year’s tasting notes revealed balanced notes of sweetness and spiciness on the palate along with caramel, brown sugar, hot honey, black pepper, prune, green apple, and muddled orange and cherries in the mix.
This whiskey is a great sipper and plays well in cocktails, especially given the high percentage of rye in the blend. It stands up with or even surpasses other bourbon-rye blends, the best known of which is probably High West’s Bourye. There’s also Lost Monarch from Redwood Empire, Breuckelen Distilling’s 77 Bourbon and Rye, Cedar Ridge’s Slipknot No. 9 Iowa Whiskey for all the nu-metal heads, and we shouldn’t leave out Basil Hayden‘s Two by Two from a few years ago, a blend of two bourbons and two ryes.
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye Kentucky Blended Straight Whiskey is available now around the country (SRP $45) at local liquor stores and websites like Total Wine. And if you’re interested in checking out some of those higher age statements in the Knob Creek lineup, you can find them available to purchase at ReserveBar.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker