Knob Creek 7 Year Small Batch Rye

I remember tasting the standard Knob Creek 100 Proof Rye without the age statement maybe about five years ago. I think back then it was a $30 whisky and I remember it being pretty good. It was right about the time I was getting more heavily into trying varied whiskies but I was still working with a budget so we weren’t talking anything too crazy, but it was actually my dad’s bottle and we were watching the Eagles play football, which is when we tend to drink together. So, it’s tough to make a comparison whether the quality is all that much higher with a 7 Year age statement put back on the bottle. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not complaining. It’s about $40 now, and given the five year’s between then and now and the addition of the age statement I’m not complaining about a $10 hike. This is still punching above its weight in price range and it’s still above average to quite good. I have to be honest, I’m reviewing this at the end of the bottle. This is my last pour and I want to drink it, but I realize that I’m also reviewing it having just shot two squirts of Flonase into each nostril to try to remedy a bout of tinnitus I’ve been suffering. Not sure what’s causing it and the Flonase might be a long shot but it worked for a buddy of mine and I suffer from allergies anyway, so it’s not a total loss even if it doesn’t cure the tinnitus. Too much information? Okay, I’ll get back to the whisky. Rye fan here: I’ve declared that in previous reviews. I like rye better than bourbon. Don’t get me wrong, bourbon’s good, but I prefer savory to sweet, a salty snack rather than an ultra-sweet dessert, and as ryes go, this is on the spicier, savory side. The aroma is a spice rack aroma: cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, cardamom with hints of caramel and vanilla. If there’s fruit here it’s being masked by the Flonase. But I’m kidding. I’ve had this plenty of times and I don’t turn to it because it’s fruity. You don’t go to Knob for fruit. Even the bourbon is mostly an oaky, leathery, nutty, vanilla profile. On the palate the spice continues but more of the caramel comes through. It’s got a great mouthfeel and a moderate finish with a nice bit of spice hitting the back of the tongue that’s quite pleasant in its bite rather than astringent. The only thing I can say against this is that the Single Barrel Ryes of Knob at 115 proof are far superior but they’re $30 more expensive and well worth every penny. I really like what Knob offers in all its iterations whether it’s the standard 9 Year Bourbon, this rye, the single barrels or the 12 year Bourbon. I’ve snapped them all up, and as long as the quality holds will continue to do so. My wife was asking for cocktails tonight and she was looking for rye cocktails, so I made her a Rye Algonquin and this other recipe from our cocktail book called Mr. B. She asked if I had any rye open that was good for mixing, and this would have served the purpose wonderfully, but I only had one pour left and wanted to review it, so I mixed with my New Riff Malted Rye 6 Year, and she was over the moon about the quality of the rye in her cocktails. I told her it was a special occasion, that I was using my good sipping rye for her, and why? Because I love her. But believe me, when I’m in the store next and I need to get a mixing rye, it’s going to be the old 1.75 L bottle of Knob 7 Year. Can’t go mixing with my New Riff all the time. It wouldn’t be fair to the Riff.

Ah, Knob Creek, one of the more special relationships I have to a brand. Technically speaking, I haven't had anything other than a particular "anniversary" bottle of their single barrel bourbon since 2017. After my wife and I made a hand-bottled, hand-stamped, engraved bottle of said bourbon our wedding and subsequent anniversary beverage, we swore off all Knob Creek products until that bottle was emptied (except the maple, because duh, and we agreed it "didn't count") . Now, 6 years later, I'm happy to swipe most of the shelf of one of my local liquor stores, and try some more of the brand that basically started it all, as far as our love of spirits. Timing worked out pretty well, too, since the rye age statement just dropped earlier this year. It's certainly not shocking that Jim Beam can produce such a large quantity of one of their more "upscale" brands, but it is surprising that they continue to sell and price it at such an affordable value. This is especially true given our current saturated market of American whiskey, where I'd wager to say at least 75% of rye whiskeys made here are less than 6 years aged. Leave it to the Beam's to dominate the market as far as variety, and with a mid-range proof on top of it all, I feel the Knob Creek line is still doing just fine. The color is fairly dull given the higher age, with more yellow notes than gold. The nose is full of light caramel, faint baking spice (ginger heavy), candied/sweet lemon and orange peel, black cherry, and florality/minerality notes that I can't quite pick out... Is this... Is this an Old Fashioned, somehow? The proof is just right in that it's easy to return for multiple, full inhales, but still delivers that bite inside the nose each time. Intitial flavors include barrel caramel and some raw malt, but develop pretty quickly into the citrus oil from the nose, alongside some grassy and almost earthy notes of the base rye grain. The body is light enough that the building sweetness doesn't feel overpowering or "sticky." A touch of cinnamon is found near the finish, but slightly more powerful, like it has a kick of capsaicin to it. The finish itself falls away a little too quick, and the spiciness from the rye doesn't get too far in the gums, so there's nothing here to really chew on. During my first few sips of this, I thought it was amazing, and most definitely one of my more top-end rye whiskeys. As I continued to drink, however, I thought that, although the flavor and potential is definitely there, perhaps I was simply drinking it incorrectly. Given the higher-than-average age and medium proof, I feel this may be one of those rarer whiskeys that I prefer over ice, as the flavors found while drinking neat weren't powerful enough to last, and fell off the deeper into the glass I went. Nonetheless, for this price point and the unique tastes as compared to most other American whiskeys, not to mention the ability to purchase this almost anywhere (even in Ohio!), it showcases that Knob Creek is still one of Jim Beams best "side brands," and further explains why it's so easy to fall in love with them in the first place.

Knob Creek Small Batch was one of the first ryes I really liked. It was approachable, soft, but also had a developed spicy and tannic rye flavor. It was also $10 more than others, so I drank it with more respect. Gave it a 4.25 in 2018. Now KC Small Batch has a 7 year age statement, and I have developed a taste for ryes over bourbons. So let's see. Tasting this neat. Deep red copper color and strong coating legs in the glass. Nose is vanilla oak and grassy rye in the background. On the palate, vanilla and brown sugar, toasted grain, tannic astringent oak, char, leather, and baking spices rise at the end. Creamy and coating mouthfeel. The finish grows from that grassy spicy taste to dried fruit and a long tingling finish of mint and sweet grass that makes the lips tingle. Dry, not overly sweet and not sour. Good balance. An ice cube softens the astringent quality but the tannins remain. Very nice. Gotta say for a 51%(?) rye mashbill this maintains a strong rye flavor profile. It's easy to sip and has some character, and easy to mix in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Maybe it's just familiar, but I still think it's a solid aged rye (7 years!), especially at 50% abv and this $38 pricepoint.

Nose is nothing special, offering apple, pear and hearty cereal grains, but more as a unit instead of being individual guests to the party. You can tell what it is, but they all run together such that it somewhat dilutes the overall experience. Palate is rich and warm, not oily at all, but it does climb half way up my tongue before tapering out. The taste is where this finally makes a clean, clear break from its bourbon sibling. Yes, apples and caramel and vanilla, but also sharp allspice and star anise before tapering to a pleasant, drying finish where the pine notes finally makes an appearance. A splash of water doesn't change the nose, but amplifies the pine and to me somewhat ruins the overall balance. This is a nice drink, equally suitable for any cocktail that specifies rye and also standing on its own merits neat in a glass. A nice drink, and one that will join my house rye rotation with the equally affable Old Forester Rye.

Nose: Toasty rye bread full of herbs and spices. Thyme, oregano, clove, and a dusting of cracked black pepper. Vanilla, dark honey, tart green apple, and lemon zest sit deeper in creating a lovely sweet and savory complexity. Palate: Soft with medium viscosity. A decent rye punch despite being a barely legal Rye. Vanilla, caramel, and clove wash over the palate followed by Rye spice, oak, and small dose of barrel char and lemongrass. Finish: Longer than anticipated with honey sweetness, soft oak tannins, and clove. Summary: On first taste during a blind, I wasn't super impressed with this, but now that I've gotten to sit down and know it better, I'm a big fan. Beautiful summertime Rye. Sweet and soft but won't let you forget it's a Rye. An absolute steal at $35-40.

One dram that i truly enjoyed in my last trip to Kentucky, was the Knob Creek 7 year old Rye. Let me describe what it gave me: On the nose, floral and fresh. Grass and a caramel burn. Hay, and something i can only describe as old clothes from the 1500s. On the palate, it is very smooth. Vanilla, sour prunes and peppery spice. Aftertaste has a nice bite and Red fruit spiciness. Overall, this was a very simple, straightforward but super hiper enjoyable dram. I loved it. My score for it is 87 over a 100.