Knob Creek 18 Year Review, Price, Proof, Where to Buy

Knob Creek 18 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, New 2024 Release

Beam Suntory has been on a tear in 2024 expanding their product lineups and making waves with new releases. From Old Grand Dad 16 Year to Old Overholt 11-Year Cask-Strength Rye Whiskey, they’ve given whiskey fans something to be excited about. That certainly continues into the Knob Creek lineup with this latest release, Knob Creek 18 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey! Come along as we dive into the details of our Knob Creek 18 Year review!

The fall and cooler temperatures always brings expected heavy-hitting bourbon releases, and also a few pleasant surprises. If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, you get updates for the Soaking Oak Bourbon Release Calendar, so you’ll see all of October’s new bottle releases before they hit the shelves. We scored one of these in a wooden box a couple of years back, so it’s great to see this re-release in 2024.

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Knob Creek Lineup

Knob Creek 9 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey
Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon Whiskey
Knob Creek 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey
Knob Creek 10 Year Old Rye Whiskey
Knob Creek Bourbon X Rye Blended Whiskey
Knob Creek 9 Year Old Single Barrel Reserve
Knob Creek 12 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey
Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Bourbon Whiskey
Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Rye Whiskey
Knob Creek 18 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

Knob Creek 18 Year Review & Tasting Notes

Knob Creek has officially reintroduced the Knob Creek 18 Year Old expression to its expanding lineup of whiskies. We got our first taste back in 2022 when we snapped up a bottle of Knob Creek’s oldest release since inception, at retail surprisingly! The Jim Beam Distillery sub-brand has expanded its lineup significantly since then, but this extra-aged bourbon has found its way back, for a limited time at least. We’ll see how long that lasts though.

The Knob Creek flagship bourbon is extremely abundant, affordable, but this hero product is aged in the rickhouses in Clermont, KY for twice as long. There are certainly some similarities however. They both provide balanced tasting notes while maintaining some complexity, and they’re both also bottled at 100 proof.

The Knob Creek brand, commonly referenced as KC bourbon, has a reputation as a value product and daily sipper. It’s typically a solid price point that is plentiful on retail shelves in liquor stores across America. However, that is not necessarily the case for Knob Creek 18 Year, or any 18-year old bourbon for that matter. Nonetheless, we don’t mind a good hunt or paying retail prices for a limited edition bottle.

Let’s get to the juice in the bottle though. Knob Creek 18 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a pre-prohibition style distillation that utilizes a level four char, also know as an alligator char, on new white oak barrels. That provides the spirit with a common robust oak tasting note that is also accompanied by sweet, caramel, and woody flavor profile with a touch of spice. Of course, the nuttiness that is common with all Knob Creek bourbons is also present. Speculators suggest that is derived from the exclusive yeast strain Jim Beam uses.

Color

Rich Copper, Auburn

Nose

Brown sugar and aged oak, with notes of char and caramel

Palate

Full-bodied with notes of caramelized oak and hints of sweet vanilla and baking spices

Finish

Warm finish with spice and slight floral and fruit notes

Barrel

Aged in new, charred American oak barrels for 18 years in the historic warehouses of Jim Beam Distillery.

Release Date & Availability

The official release date for Knob Creek 18 Year bourbon is October, 2024. Nationwide retailers will start to see the bottles being distributed throughout October. Therefore, check your local liquor stores to see if you see it pop up on the shelves, or behind the counter rather. We’ve had one fan report that they saw it for sale at Costco for $159.99.

Proof & ABV

The 18 Year Knob Creek bourbon is bottled at 100 proof. That’s an equivalent of 50% ABV.

Mash Bill

The 18 Year Knob Creek mash bill is 75% corn, a 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. This mash bill is the same as all of Knob Creek’s bourbon expressions.

MSRP & Secondary Price

The suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Knob Creek 18 Year is $175. Secondary prices will certainly be inflated for this allocated release, so don’t be surprised if you see it listed for $250. You can compare that to the Hardin’s Creek 17 Year and 110 proof for $160, or Old Grand Dad 16 and 100 proof for $180.

Verdict

Knob Creek has came a long way since it was launched in 1992. Beam-Suntory understands that bourbon drinkers are becoming more educated and their thirst for extra-aged whiskies is increasing. With that being said, the Knob Creek lineup is expanding in all directions, including into new territories of super premium whiskies with super premium prices. However, those price tags are also become more digestible.

While $175 is a hefty price for any new bourbon release, we have the perfect scenario to celebrate with a fresh crack on a whiskey that is nearly two decades old. That is simply because we love a good Kentucky bourbon! We’re excited about this release, again, and we also have a new bourbon tasting set that we think our friends won’t mind helping us christen up with a healthy pour.