Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye Blended Straight Whiskeys
- Apr 5, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 24
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
About This Spirit from Knob Creek
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye Blended
Knob Creek Bourbon X Rye Blend is an expertly crafted combination of 30% 9-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and 70% 7-year-old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey. Enjoy the rich and intricate flavors of silky vanilla, sumptuous caramel, and a touch of pepper in every sip. Rely on our commitment to quality and skill in whiskey blending with this robust and distinctive expression. Proof 113.
TASTING NOTES
TASTE: Brown sweets with a hint of fruitiness and black pepper
AROMA: Sweet maple and vanilla with hints of nuttiness and baking spice
COLOR: Golden Brown, Copper
FINISH: Sweet with lingering spice
About This Spirit from The Whisky Advocate
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye
Score 93 ● ABV: 56.5% ● Price: $45 ● Style: Blended American ● Origin: Kentucky
Knob Creek’s blend of 7 year old rye (70%) and 9 year old bourbon (30%) leads with aromas of bright rye spices and black pepper, with vanilla, caramel, and peach candies adding depth. The nose has complexity, with wood stain and tobacco becoming more notable in time. On the palate, the bourbon’s influence on the blend is more prominent, with peppery spice balanced by caramel apples, butterscotch, and berries. While it’s tame enough at bottle proof, adding water brings out caramelized notes and barbecue spices.
—Shane English
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
How We Feel About the Spirit
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye: The Bold Blend That Earned Its Place in Our Sipping Room Collection
Written by Nancy Fae for His, Hers & the Good Life
Introduction
The inaugural year of our Sipping Room was shaped by a mission: collect all twenty bottles from Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 of 2024. Nineteen bottles now sit proudly on our shelves—each with its own story, each tied to a moment, a discovery, a small victory. Bottle #13 on that list, Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye, became one of the more unexpected chapters.
We didn’t find it in Alabama. We didn’t find it in Tennessee. We didn’t find it anywhere we normally hunt. Instead, it appeared during my travels — quietly waiting at a Total Wine in Maryland. A blended straight whiskey with a Whisky Advocate score of 93 and a punchy 56.5% ABV, it practically insisted on coming home with me. Into the cart it went, tucked safely into my checked luggage, and now it stands ready for its moment in a blind tasting.
This bottle marks another milestone in our Sipping Room journey — one more piece of the story we’re building sip by sip.
His Take (Jeff)
There’s something about Knob Creek that always feels familiar — like an old friend who still surprises you. Bourbon x Rye is exactly that kind of friend. The blend intrigues me: the structure of bourbon, the spice of rye, the promise of something that doesn’t try to be flashy but ends up being memorable anyway.
Finding it wasn’t easy. We searched locally, checked stores we trust, and came up empty. When Nancy Fae told me she found it in Maryland, I laughed because of course she did. She has a knack for spotting the bottles that hide from me.
We haven’t opened it yet, but I’m already thinking about the blind tasting. I want to see if I can pick out the rye influence without being told. I want to see if the blend feels seamless or if it leans one way or the other. Mostly, I want to see what made it worthy of #13 on the Top 20 list.
This bottle feels like a challenge, and I’m ready for it.
Her Take (Nancy Fae)
This bottle feels like a small triumph. After weeks of searching for Top 20s — after the near misses, the empty shelves, the “maybe next shipment” — finding Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye in Maryland felt like the universe finally giving me a wink.
It’s a handsome bottle, sturdy and confident, with that familiar Knob Creek presence. The blend fascinates me. Bourbon and rye together feel like a conversation between two personalities — one warm and caramel-rich, the other lively and peppered with spice. I’m curious to see how they dance.
We haven’t opened it yet, but when we do, I want to taste it alongside a classic bourbon and a classic rye. I want to see if the blend truly bridges the gap or if it leans into one identity more than the other. And I want to see if I can pick it out blind — because that’s half the fun.
This bottle is part of our Sipping Room story now, and I’m glad it found its way to us.
Closing in the His, Hers & the Good Life Style
His (Jeff)
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye feels like a bottle that rewards patience. We hunted for it, finally found it, and now it waits for the right moment. I’m looking forward to the blind tasting — no labels, no expectations, just the whiskey speaking for itself.
Her (Nancy Fae)
This bottle represents the joy of the search. The Sipping Room isn’t just about collecting. It’s about the stories behind each bottle. This one came home in a suitcase, and that alone makes it special. I can’t wait to see how it performs in a blind lineup.
The Good Life
The Good Life is built on shared adventures — big ones, small ones, and the ones that happen in the aisles of a Total Wine far from home. Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye fits right in: a bottle with a journey, a purpose, and a place in our growing collection. It’s a reminder that the hunt is part of the joy, and the pour is the reward.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
How to Enjoy
Blind Tasting: Line it up with a classic bourbon and a classic rye. See if the blend reveals itself or hides in plain sight.
Neat First: At 56.5% ABV, start slow. Let it open. Let the bourbon sweetness and rye spice introduce themselves.
A Drop of Water: A small splash may reveal the subtler notes — grain, oak, caramel, spice.
Side-by-Side with Other Knob Creek Expressions: Compare how the blend stands against their straight bourbon or straight rye.
Conversation Pairing: This is a bottle meant for discussion — its identity, its balance, its place in the Top 20.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
Disclaimer: Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age. Life’s Rants promotes the responsible and legal enjoyment of premium cigars and alcohol by individuals of legal age. We do not endorse or encourage smoking or drinking among minors.
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