This isn’t the first Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye I’ve had, but it is the oldest. Clocking in at 9 years (50% older than the last one I tried) this is the first mass-market CS offering of KC rye that Jim Beam has done. Before this, the best you could do is come across the random CS store pick, While great when you can fin them, not exactly a reliable source due to availability.
I got truly excited by this when it was announced for several reasons. First, I’ve always been a fan of Knob Creek Rye, I’ve always thought it was a pleasant, bold, sipping rye that could readily be found. Second, I love cask strength whiskey. It’s amazing to get to try it as close to straight-from-the-barrel as you can get… and with that, let’s dig in.
Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Review: Details and Tasting Notes
In Jim Beam’s Words: Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye
“Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Whiskey features our biggest and boldest rye liquid yet, and lives up to Knob Creek Bourbon’s designation of “pre-prohibition style.” Aged for 9 years and stored in Warehouse A, the oldest standing rackhouse at our distillery, this cask strength straight rye whiskey, bottled at 119.6 proof, takes our award-winning Knob Creek Straight RyeWhiskey to the next level as an ultra-aged, unfiltered rye whiskey with unbeatably big and full spicy rye flavor. In fact, it was just named “Best Rye Whiskey” at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition! It will be available in early June for a limited time with an SRP of $69.99 for a 750ml bottle.”
Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye price, ABV, age and other details
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam
Mash Bill: 55% Rye, 35% Corn, and 10% Malt (rumored)
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 9 years (2009-2018)
ABV: 58.3%
Cask Strength / Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: $70*
Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Tasting Notes
EYE
Toffee
NOSE
Spice, citrus, butterscotch, oak, dark fruit and some biscuity notes with a light bit of copper.
PALATE
Spice, roasted grain, citrus (grapefruit-like), dark fruit (raisin-like), butterscotch-meets-toffee, oak and some menthol.
FINISH
Long -> Spice, citrus, dried fruit and menthol.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, full body and a light oily feel.
Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Review: OVERALL
Spice is the big note in the Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye, weaving its way through the aroma, palate and finish. Below the spice you have a layer of sweetness that comes through at varying levels of candy and fruit-based sweetness levels and then finally the rustic notes of oak, copper and grains. And that’s kind of where it loses me.
It’s a decent whiskey, there’s no refuting that, but for being 9 years old I’m missing the oak, it may be cask strength, but it’s a bit on the soft and sweet side. It leaves me saying “I could easily drink this any day of the week, but not crave it any day of the week”. To be honest, I’d rather have my Nasa Liquor single barrel KC Rye or K&L SiB KC over this. Both are oakier and a bit more complex.
SCORE: 86/100 (B)
*Disclosure: This Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye sample was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Review
- Nose - 86
- Palate - 86
- Finish - 86
- Balance, Body & Feel - 86
Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Review Summary
Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye is good. I’ve had single barrels I like more than this, but it’s good. I’ll have no problem picking up a bottle when they arrive in CA.
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