Knob Creek Straight 12 yr Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Knob Creek Straight 12 Year Bourbon comes from Beam Suntory's Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, the family operation that traces back to Jacob Beam's original farm distillery in the 1790s. The Knob Creek line itself was founded in 1992 by Booker Noe, grandson of Jim Beam, with the goal of reviving the full-flavored, patiently aged bourbon style that defined the pre-Prohibition era. Today his son, Fred Noe, oversees production as the family's seventh-generation master distiller.

Knob Creek 12 Year draws on the same low-rye mash bill used across the brand, roughly 75 to 77 percent corn, around 13 percent rye, and the remainder malted barley. First offered as a limited release in 2019 before joining the permanent lineup, this expression is drawn primarily from barrels resting in the center cut of the rackhouses, a location chosen for its steady temperature and humidity. The whiskey spends a full 12 years maturing in charred American white oak before it is bottled at 100 proof, giving it noticeably more oak influence and depth than Knob Creek's younger, nine-year sibling.

The nose leads with toasted oak, dark caramel, and brown sugar, joined by dried cherry and warm baking spice. On the palate, rich toffee and leather meet black pepper and cinnamon, while the finish turns dry and tannic, closing on lingering oak, tobacco leaf, and a slow, peppery warmth.