Knob Creek 10 Year Rye

Another instance of a giddy ol' me just happy to find decent American whiskey products in my local OH liquor store, this time with a reliable sub-brand and a high aged product that seems to check a good number of boxes. Jim Beam/Knob Creek will always have a special place in my heart, as my wife and I bonded over it as our first favorite many years ago, so it's great to see new products from them, especially when they are permenant additions. I didn't realize/remember until I read the Distiller description that Knob Creek's rye dropped the age statement for a good while until last year, as I always thought of it as a 7 year by Mandela Effect anyway. Even though I enjoy younger rye whiskeys that better carry the spice and bite from the grain, I'm always curious when I can try much higher-than-average aged versions. Since the proof is the same (I'd kill for a cask strength version of this, though), and the mash bill is believed to also still be the same piss-poor ~50% rye of old (laughable to even call this small of an amount rye whiskey), we'll see if this can transform the brand's rye whiskey portfolio enough to justify continued purchasing. At quick glance, the color in the glass is very dark, almost chocolatey, but upon closer inspection, still retains a bit of the lighter golden brown and a clear miniscus that's expected at this proof age combo. The nose surprises me, since despite the low amount of rye in the mash used, it's really the star here, giving notes of cinnamon candy, fresh lemon oil/peels, and even fresh sweet cherries. I think these notes are more easily detected here versus the 7 year because the unnecessary corn has had more time to mellow and turn into the sweet notes that don't distract from the spicy, intense rye. Indeed there are notes of rich chocolate, toffee, and sweet oak that also play nicely here on the nose, with an overall ethanol that just starts to burn only after repeated smelling and dips into the glass entrance. The flavor begins rather plain and expected, with the base proof and spicy notes from the rye beginning to root around the gums and digging deep to deliver that whole-mouth burn. The age here isn't tasted through the barrel so much as it is through the mellowing and softening of the rye spice, letting it become more approachable for the casual drinker, and providing less of the citrus and fruity notes that a younger version may carry. While it is still spicy and full-bodied, the finish is dry and tastes like it would be fruity, but again, I think the longer age took away this note. With all the added corn and the longer age time on this new 10 year rye, this very much drinks like a spicier and drier bourbon. This is usually the case with very near-minimum rye whiskeys, and this one is no exception. It's already a sin to water down anything with a decent age statement (which I consider to be 10 years or more), and the extremely low rye percentage makes this strike two. The age here works, and the price point is very good (I was too excited in the store to see if I got it at MSRP or not), but the only reason this tastes objectively better than the 7 year is because of all the added corn, which begs to be developed over longer periods of time in the barrel. If you're looking to expand your bourbon collection and especially want to compare it to the Knob Creek bourbon line, this and/or the 7 year rye would be your next steps. However, if you're a rye whiskey purist and want something spicier, more aggressive, and more true to the grain, I'd avoid the Knob Creek rye brand for this; even though the price point is fairly impressive, there are better rye options that can be spent for the same dollar amount or, more likely, for far less.

Woo, first review! I will try to do it justice. Nose offers an equal blend of sweet, spicy, and herbal notes with gingerbread, white pepper, oregano, lemongrass, fennel, wintergreen, sugar cookie, and light oak. Ethanol slightly bothersome given the relatively low proof. Palate is sweeter and less herbal than the nose would indicate. Snickerdoodle cookie, vanilla, cinnamon sugar, chili pepper, peanut, mint, and cake icing. Flavors nicely integrated and balanced. Finish is decently long offering rye spice, Red Hots candy, mature oak, rosemary, eucalyptus, and delightful citrusy zest. Mouthfeel is slightly thin-bodied, resulting in everything being felt under the tongue, but also on the creamy side which serves this well. The extra three years aging over the standard 7 year release has worked wonders here adding depth and complexity. At $69.99, it’s a good value in todays market given the age statement. That said, I have had better with less age although most of those were higher rye mashbills. This is a great offering for a “barely rye” 51% sort of thing. Rebuy dependent on what else is in the cabinet.

Open 1 year Nose - Velvety rye, nutmeg, allspice, light caramel, air freshener, fresh cut oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Mouthcoating, delicate, savory rye, dill, star anise, black pepper, toffee, lemon oil, noticeably lacking in classic sweet flavors. Finish is medium with dry and watery oak, lemon peel, black pepper, old fashioned hard candy, and medium ethanol. Given my love for Knob Creek Rye SiB picks and how good the Knob Creek 12 is for the money, I had really high hopes for this release. Sadly, it is average at best. It's shockingly savory, difficult to detect any classic sweet notes in bourbon or rye. It also quickly changes from oily to watery on the palate. I don't know what happened with this, but the single barrels are so much better.

Smell is deep, rich, and must with a lot of spice around the edges - cinnamon, pepper, maybe some citrus, and some floral / Earthy notes. There is almost a stone fruit note mixed in there too. Flavor is not what I expected - a very mute unoffending start with some caramel body standing out, with a vegetal white pepper spice that then starts to kick in. Finish is somewhat flat with that spice lingering as more of an oak flavor with some sweetness. Almost feels like drinking a flat soda in a way. Not bad though - is pretty interesting. T8ke 6.7

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: So much fruit, ranging from apples to plums, with a dry oak note. Palate: Sweet clove and srepng cinnamon notes, followed by baking spice and oak. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: Baking spice and oak tannins become much more forward with just a few drops of water. Overall: 9/10 - This is as good as I had hoped it would be. It's a solid sipper at a reasonable price and would stand up to ice or a cocktail without losing its best flavors. Well done!

Nose- floral with a bit of waxy candy corn. To me, the nose is meh, and not what I had hoped for. Palate- a bit of peppercorn and waxy candy. It was average and not very complex. A bit of rue seed toward the end. Not nad, but noting to write home about. The taste was a bit watered down Finish- pepper prevails! And a nuce lingering burn that lets you know the proof. Overall- I hoped for so much more. This fell short in all respects. Perhaps a mixer?