... And The Knob Creeks Just Keep On Coming

I first had Knob Creek bourbon sometime in the late ‘90s at the venerable tavern P.J. Clarke’s, which had moved past its burger-on-a-paper-plate vibe of the ‘70s but hadn’t yet gotten as fancy (and, to be honest, soulless) as it became after new ownership took over in the early 2000s. The Knob Creek was in a Manhattan, which I’d recently discovered as I started to move beyond my usual vodka martini/glass of Jack Daniel’s routine. And I fell in love immediately. This was different. Even with vermouth and bitters and ice, this was bigger, it was more flavorful, it was more robust than any whiskey I’d had before. Upon downing my cocktail, I tried it neat, and I was sold. Two decades and change later, I still adore Knob Creek — more than perhaps any other spirit, it set me on the path to becoming a booze nerd.

It’s crazy to think that a mere four years ago, Knob Creek was running so low on aged bourbon that it had to abandon its 9 year age statement. This year, they’ve not only a 9-hear-old once again, they’ve also introduced a 12-year-old bourbon to the permanent line, as well as a limited edition 15 year old, the oldest Knob Creek yet. It’s also crazy to think that in 2010, there was only one Knob Creek. Now there are seven in the permanent portfolio, last I checked, along with a whole bunch of here-and-gone limited editions that pop up and fade away faster than you can say “Booker Noe” (the fella who first made Knob Creek almost 30 years ago).

Older doesn’t mean better, of course, but if anyone knows how to make good elder-statesman whiskey, it’s the folks at Jim Beam — er, Beam Suntory (I’ll never get used to typing that). Check out my review of both new expressions over at Alcohol Professor and get the whole story!