KNOB CREEK SiB BOURBON
a barrel from Warehouse L, Floor 2, Rick 16, selected by K&L (2024)MASH BILL – 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
PROOF – 120
AGE – 10 years 8 days
DISTILLERY – Jim Beam
PRICE – $65
WORTH BUYING? – Oh yes
I’ve posted capsule notes on my Fall Fave whiskeys in the past, in 2022 and 2024. Fall is my favorite season, and not only bourbon and rye but many whiskeys pair very well with it. It’s that autumnal combination of blooming harvests and earthy decay, sun alternating with rain, and the particular qualities of light as the sun makes its daily cross lower in the sky than it did during the blinding heights of summer.
So for Fall 2026, I thought I’d highlight some faves in more detail. First up is this 2024 bottling of Knob Creek, among the last offered at the longtime standard 120 proof before Jim Beam opened up the Knob Creek SiB program to the variances of true cask strength.
As my whiskey journey has wended along over the years, my taste for higher proof whiskeys has settled down. Now 120 proof is typically the topmost limit for me. There are occasional exceptions. But generally I just don’t enjoy the searing spectacle of heat above that point like I once did.
Unlike the proof, the age of the Knob Creek SiBs has never been standardized. But in the past handful of years it’s tended to hover around 9 years on average. This bottle is just a week+ over 10 years. I do miss that fabled window in time, back in 2019 and 2020, when Knob Creek SiB store picks aged ~15 years were momentarily plentiful. (I still have one stashed away!) But on tasting this “mere” 10-year bottling, I was reminded of how dependable Knob Creek is, at any age.
So let’s jump right into a glass. It’s a perfect day for it—sunny and cool, my backyard in bloom and decay at once. Here we are, nearing two weeks after uncorking and four pours into the bottle. These brief notes were taken using a simple brandy glass.
COLOR – smoldering oranges verging into reds and with honey-amber highlights
NOSE – a lovely baking spice medley, thick caramel, dense oak both dry and sweet, toasted vanilla, dark chocolate cake, subtle dried rye spices
TASTE – oak and oak tannin, a peppery but patient prickle from the ABV, thick caramel, chocolate sauce, dark cherry, a squeeze of pulpy orange zest, a sprinkle of the rye spice
FINISH – thick syrupy chocolate, oak, cherry, orange zest, toasted rye spice
OVERALL – a smoldering bonfire of a bourbon, balancing sweet and savory
Man oh man. This is an autumn bonfire in a glass, smoldering not blazing, despite the 120 proof. The kind of heat that soaks into your bones—very welcomed on a chilly night.
I’m struck most by the chocolate, oak, and cherry notes. The rest add accent and emphasis from nose to sip to lingering finish. But the core experience is that delicious triad. Maybe the oak tannins might be too bitter for some. For me, they blend neatly into the rye and baking spice notes, adding to the savory outline around the sweet candy and fruit notes. It’s just that combination of savory and sweet that conjures the best of what autumn offers in terms of weather and seasonal foods.
Sipped neat, absolutely. Stirred into an Old-Fashioned with orange bitters and maple syrup, yes please. Late afternoon, at sunset, or late night by the fire, I’m there! A bourbon for all Fall occasions. And that color!
Maybe when I get toward the end of this delicious bottle I’ll crack my last of the 15 Year SiBs and compare them. Might the older whiskey be more savory? Deeper? Too bitter? Equally satisfying in its own way?
These are the questions whiskey aficionados geek out over. Meanwhile, the rest of my current glass remains. Sip now. Ask questions later.
Cheers!
Last Call
And by the way, this Knob Creek also makes a great Maple Lime Sour.
1.5oz bourbon
0.5oz lime juice
0.5oz maple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir and pour over an ice rock
Garnish with a lime wedge
A perfectly refreshing autumn cocktail.
Cheers!
