Oh man, I’m rolling out the same old trope today with this bottle. The Knob Creek 12 joined my bar probably four years ago now (back when we lived in Guam) but I never got around to opening it up. I’m a fan of what KC does but with all the goodness that was in Japan I just never moved this bottle up in the rotation. As I’m drinking down my stash, I finally had an opportunity to open it up and explore what 12 years in a barrel does to some good Knob Creek distillate.
Let’s get after it.
Knob Creek 12
- Distillery: Beam Suntory’s Jim Beam plant (USA)
- 50% abv / 100 proof
- Age: 12 years
- Mash: 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barely
Neat
Medium brown with with sticky lacing. Oak, spice, tobacco, sweet caramel in the aroma. Medium mouthfeel. The flavor is sweeter than expected without being cloying. Oak, baking spice, a bit of dark fruit, berry, chocolate and nougat. Finish is medium in length and not as burny as I expected from the proof. It’s a slow burn that brings me back for another sip. Lovely stuff.
Old Fashioned
Hot damn, this makes a swell old fashioned. The bourbon itself is delicious without being abrasive, so when paired with a little sugar and some bitters, the drink really settles into a sublime sipper. It’s sweet without being sugary, the bitters give a little spicy intrigue while the notes of the Knob Creek still shine through. I think I can cut the sugar in half and make an even more enjoyable drink, but even this version is delicious.
Uptown
Source: Chad Austin’s Everyone has a F*cking Cocktail Book
- 1.5 oz 100-proof rye (KC12)
- 1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
- 0.5 oz Apple Brandy
- 2 dash Angostura Bitters
Stir all with ice. Strain into a coupe.
Yea so I made a number of substitutions here but I’m gonna go ahead and call it the same thing. Bourbon instead of rye. Brandy without the apple. And Carpano Antica vermouth, though he specifically says not to use it. The drink still works. It’s kinda like a boosted Manhattan. The drink is bold, sweet and has a little bit of spice. Enjoyable.
The Last Sip
I really like this Knob Creek 12. It’s smooth where it needs to be while packed full of flavor and intensity in some of the dark corners. I just don’t come away from this with it on my mind. As soon as I’m done with my pour I forget I had it. That keeps it away from the Keep Close level of need even though it’s a tasty pour.
Tuesday Pints 