Knob Creek Returns Its Oldest Bourbon To Market for Limited Time

On Monday, Knob Creek announced the return of its coveted 18 Year Old Straight Bourbon. The expression — its oldest age statement to date — was initially unveiled in 2022 as a toast to the brand’s 30th anniversary.

Like all Knob Creek products, the spirit is aged in charred American oak barrels at the brand’s Kentucky rackhouses, albeit twice as long as the distiller’s flagship bourbon. Its mashbill is composed of 77% corn, 13% rye and 10% malted barley

The expression is bottled at a neat 50% ABV, now available nationwide at a suggested retail price of $179.99.

“It’s clear to me that Dad was ahead of his time in creating innovative expressions with big, bold flavors that defined pre-prohibition whiskey,” seventh-generation master distiller Booker Noe remarked in a 2022 news release. “This 18-year-old liquid is a nod to his vision and commitment to quality and craftsmanship, and I know this is a whiskey he’d be proud to serve.”

We had a chance to try Knob Creek 18 YO when it first dropped — without a doubt, it’s one of our all-time favorites from the distiller. Brimming with charred aromas of cherry, peanut brittle and tobacco, the palate gives way to a medley of toffee, pralines, fudge and cocoa followed by a prickle of heat on the finish. Though 50% ABV is comparatively low to other top-shelf offerings from Knob Creek, we thought it did well to wrap up the package and justify its $180 price tag.

To date, Knob Creek 18 boasts the brand’s second-highest aggregated score in our catalog, surpassed only by a couple of especially tasty single barrels (those would be 15yr Barrel Seekers First Selection and Lincoln Road Old Hallows Eve).

It’s a no-brainer that Jim Beam returned this one to market, even if only for a limited time. On that note, we’ll point out that bottles of the 2022 release reached nearly $400 in the months after their debut. If you’re hoping to taste a sip of its latest iteration, strike while the iron is hot.

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