A Whiskey We Love: Knob Creek

This is my go to Whiskey! The one I will order when in a club, or want a drink from

my bar. It is, simply put, my house spirit. So because of this forgive me if I gush a little. The distillers at Knob Creek have found their way into my heart and they satisfy my soul. Not bad for a Beam product.

What! A product from Jim Beam, the mega distillery…but Knob Creek is small batch, and kitchey, and increases my cool factor at parties…still its Beam. Hey, lets face it Beam knows how to make whiskey, so why then could they not make a great whiskey. Short answer…they can, and they have, and its name is Knob Creek.

Knob Creek is made at the Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky.  It is a small batch Bourbon Whiskey and it is 100 proof.  That’s right 50% alcohol by volume.  Funny thing is that by aging it 9 years it mellows to the point that its smooth finish and fruity undertones have mellowed what might otherwise be a harsh experience.  The first thing I noticed when I poured it was its unmistakeable aroma.  It has a heavy nose neat, and smells of oak and cherries, with an undertone of currents.  Its taste is as complex and wonderful.

So you know the drill, lets review the whiskey 3 ways Neat, On the Rocks, and With a Splash.

Neat

This whiskey has a wonderful aroma and that character is evident when you drink it neat.  The whiskey hits the palate sweet at first with the flavor of cherries and current, then with a little smoke and oakiness, finally a long slow burn that intensifies on the back side like a hurricane storm surge.

There is an intense burn but it is so smooth  the overwhelming feeling of pleasure blocks any pain caused by the smoldering heat of the afterburn.  This whiskey definately drinks neat!

On the Rocks

Knob Creek holds up very well to ice.  It still has a nice aroma, although it is tamed somewhat.  It drinks very smooth and looses some of its burn, but still has nice heat on the backside, although it is cooled somewhat by the ice.  Although its qualities are subdued on the rocks the overall structure of the whiskey is in tact and very enjoyable.

With a Splash

I don’t know if it is the 100 proof, the 9 years aging, or just the mix of the mash that gives this whiskey its structure, but it holds up very well to water.  Recall that in a previous post Makers Mark, another Kentucky small batch bourbon lost all its structure when water was added, nothing could be farther from the truth for Knob Creek.  Not only does it hold up, but I actually order it with a splash when I’m out in a club to make the drinks last a little longer and take me further into the night.  This whiskey can take it and still have great flavor and even some pretty fair aroma to add to the drinkers enjoyment.

Conclusion

Drink this whiskey!  Any way you can, neat, rocks,or with a splash, just do me one favor… never mix it.  It doesn’t deserve that.

On the go in a flask at the game, or on the rocks sipping by the poolside, or with a splash in the club this whiskey should be on everyone’s radar.  And at the modest price of between $25 and $30 for a fifth it is a good whiskey to keep stocked at home for your drinking pleasure. Enjoy.

-Don

EDITORS NOTE

Knob Creek has sold out their most recent supply.  It is aged for 9 years and 9 years ago they underestimated its popularity.  They say this shouldn’t be a problem for future production years as they had more sales trend information to bring more barrels into production starting in 2010.  Meanwhile some parts of the country can no longer get any Knob Creek Bourbon.  This is temporary and their Barrel Dumping Day for the next batch is October 29th, 2009, so it should be back on store shelves in time for the holiday season.