Knob Creek 18 Year Bourbon 30th Anniversary (2022 Release)

It’s great to see a bourbon line get expanded in the way Jim Beam has done with Knob Creek. The additions of the 12 and 15 year were fantastic (especially the 12) and I’m really excited for this one. It cost me a couple bucks, but the age statement and the quality of this one’s younger brothers, I have confidence in my purchase. Nose: Gala apple/apple pie. Brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Peanut brittle and toasted almond. Fudge, cocoa, and milk chocolate. Black tea and tobacco. Maple. Rye, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak spice. Red ginger. A touch of sawdust and baking soda. Palate: More of that peanut brittle and toasted almond. Gala apple. Heaps of brown sugar with some caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Dried apricot. Pumpkin spice. A peppermint/baking soda note. New couch leather. Carrot cake. Cocoa, black tea, pipe smoke. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, black and white pepper, rye spice, dill pickle, and oak. Finish: Brown sugar, caramel, fudge, vanilla, milk chocolate, and toffee. Pipe smoke, cocoa, and black tea. Rye spice, red ginger, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Long finish. Very nice. This does the classic bourbon profile perfectly. Plenty of sweet, a healthy dose of dry fruit, barrel char and smoke to boot. And of course, a truck load or two of spice notes. It’s not overoaked, which is a concern for a lot of bourbons once you get into the teenage years. Instead, it’s got depth and sophistication, and does a beautiful job of encapsulating the finer elements of the Knob Creek line. This is really something. I’d say it measures up to the 12 and beats the 15 in terms of VFM. Which is impressive because it cost quadruple the former and almost double the latter. This was $200, which is exactly what I paid for the Elijah Craig 18. This is at a much higher proof, and matches the EC18 for quality. It’s amazing, and I’m really glad I managed to nab it. This was crafted to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Knob Creek, and I’d say this did a heck of a job honoring the line. 5/5.

Nose is full of oak, cherry, caramel, vanilla, barrel char, dark chocolate, and baking spices. While that description doesn’t sound that thrilling, there’s a fantastic cohesion here with no one scent standing out above any other. Ethanol nearly non-existent. Oh wow. Palate features layer upon layer of soft sweet oak, along with creme brûlée, orange zest, nutmeg, French vanilla, and flan. Flavors are rich, decadent and well integrated. Once your tongue adjusts to the wood the other flavors really shine. Lengthy finish is a slow morph and features chocolate covered orange slices, cherry, the oak from the palate, charcoal, white pepper, and a hint of allspice. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium and dry as the Sahara desert. A masterclass example of what an ultra aged bourbon can be. While oak is the star AND the co-star, there’s enough of a supporting cast of flavors to keep you from feeling like you are chewing a tree. At the $225 I paid, this is stupid expensive but I don’t have any regrets as it offers a unique experience with the only other obvious comparison being Elijah Craig 18 and honestly, this is superior.

The nose starts off strong with a burst of floral rye spice with underlying notes of charred oak. As it breathes, it quickly opens up with leather, black pepper and touches of stone fruit, molasses and brown sugar. It is wonderful to keep visiting and very balanced considering it's age. The palate is full and chewy, quickly making its way to the corners of the mouth with floral rye and oak. Smooth vanilla follows it up along with brown sugar and caramel with just a hint of fruit sweetness. The sweetness comes just as the overall feeling begins to turn a little dry which in this case, the dryness adds to the experience. The finish is long and chewy with a lingering pepperiness along with charred oak, floral rye and a touch of creaminess. It stays wonderfully balanced through all stages of the experience, making it wonderfully tame despite being 18 years old. If anything, it could stand to be a little more intense, perhaps with higher proof, but as one of the few bourbons at this age available, it is very drinkable by any and all.

Another that the review is already out there but wanted to more in depth notes. Nose - I keep saying this about this one, but the fruity and oaky forward knob creek profile is unmistakable. It's amazing how well they've done at not just making this "Beam" but making it unmistakably a part of the Knob Creek lineup. Lemon/citrus jam meets rich oak, slightly dried oak, dried barn leaf tobacco, heavy caramel sweetness with minimal if any vanilla. Taste - More of the same. Rich oak, heavy spices, cinnamon, huge tobacco leaf, rich caramel, some french vanilla, lightly nutty, and more and more traditional heavy vanilla on the back end. I'll give this the same score of the 15, a 3.5. I'm feeling this is an over statement. 180 bucks is a bit too much, but it's fun, it's a bit different, and it's cool to see such an old age statement.

This is what happens when Knob Creek just lets the barrel cook for 18 years and never checks on it. First sniff is big oak. Like old barn wood, leather, and char. Then it calms down a bit and you get caramel, vanilla, and that peanut thing Knob Creek does. Smells big. Smells old. Smells like you should sit down before drinking it. First sip hits hard. Lots of oak right away, then dark caramel, roasted nuts, and some dry spice. It’s thick, it’s intense, and the finish just does not quit. This is not a casual one more pour bourbon. This is a slow down dummy bourbon. You need a real cigar for this. Full-bodied. Padron 64 Maduro, something dark and heavy. Don’t waste a mild cigar on this—it won’t survive. Bottom line, Knob Creek 18 is bold, oaky, and unapologetic. Great bourbon. Small pours. Bad decisions if you’re not careful.

A dark roasted character of espresso bean, burnt demerara sugar, bitter cocoa, and aged tobacco are the first tasting notes. To balance these characteristics, there are also softer and warmer hints of salted caramel, praline, toffee and hot chocolate on the palate. The body is medium-light, holding everything in place without making it seem too thick. The finish is long with the oak figuring prominently, along with plenty of milk caramel, candied nuts and sweet tobacco. Everything finishes up on a dry and finite note. A very well made bourbon, and despite the high age, nothing is overshadowed by the extra time in the barrel. Each savory and sweet note gets a chance to shine.