Knob Creek Rye Whiskey 1.75L

Knob Creek is produced by Jim Beam Distilling Company in Clermont, Kentucky, and built its reputation on a "pre-Prohibition style" approach that pushes for bolder, fuller-flavored whiskey than typical modern bourbon or rye. The rye expression sits as the only ongoing rye in Jim Beam's Small Batch Collection, developed to bring rye back into the spotlight after decades of the category taking a back seat to bourbon in the American whiskey market.

Knob Creek Rye uses an undisclosed mash bill believed to sit just above the legal 51 percent rye minimum, with corn making up much of the remainder, a combination the distillery describes as high-corn for the category. The whiskey ages a full seven years in deeply charred, alligator-char barrels, longer than many ryes on the market, before bottling at 100 proof, the same strength as Knob Creek's flagship bourbon.

The nose offers rye grain and green apple alongside charred oak and a hint of smoky syrup, with vanilla and citrus rind rounding things out. On the palate, black pepper and nutmeg spice meet caramel and brown sugar sweetness, with apple and floral notes adding lift beneath the structure. The finish runs warm and full-bodied, closing on lingering oak and rich spice that holds up well in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.