More to Enjoy
- Raided Score: 88
- Publication: Whiskey Raiders
- Excerpt: This is a little hotter pick than I would like. It had a really unique nose, which was nice, but the astringency in the palate and the heat in the finish is kind of a downer here.
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Intro:
Knob Creek Single Barrels have long been a product easily available at most stores. In the last several years, picking private barrels of various ages has become more commonplace. Picks between 9 and 16 years of age have been popping up with great regularity and I've taken it upon myself to try a variety and see how they fare. Some time ago, Knob Creek exhibited what may have been the largest barrel variation commonly agreed on in the bourbon community with some barrels ranging from wretched to godly. It has been my feeling that, as of late, the overall quality of these barrels being picked has risen, adding a slightly higher floor than existed before.
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Nose:
Classic Beam funk, oak, graham crackers pepper. Theres also nice fruitiness, a good bit of strawberries and cream.
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Taste:
Medium length, some heat. Honey and graham cracker are prominent, with a good bit of corn and astringency. Theres a lot less oak here than #3 and it feels younger, but also more vibrant. Lots of nice honey character.
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Finish:
Medium length, peppery and hot. Sweet toffee and more waffle notes come in to balance.
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Overall:
This is a little hotter pick than I would like. It had a really unique nose, which was nice, but the astringency in the palate and the heat in the finish is kind of a downer here. That said, it still scores a 5 - I especially like that waffle character.
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Score:
5
- Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources