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Knob Creek Rye

Gold liquid in a rectangular glass bottle

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Knob Creek Rye

JOSH'S RATING:
3/5

About Knob Creek Rye

I was recently in the mood for some classic whiskey cocktails, and realized it’s been a while since I tried a new rye whiskey. And, after having a generally pleasant experience with their bourbon, I was eager to checkout Knob Creek Rye.

Knob Creek Rye is bottled at 100 proof after being aged for seven years, making it the youngest in Knob Creek’s line of whiskies. Although it’s a rye whiskey, its high corn mash bill adds notes commonly associated with bourbon.

Bottle Specs

❖ Spirit: Rye Whiskey

Distillery: James B Beam Distilling Co.

❖ ABV: 50% (100 Proof)

❖ Aged for Seven Years

❖ Moderate Price

Tasting Notes

 

Color: Amber

❖ Nose: Caramel, Vanilla, Nutty, little bit of heat

Taste: Cherry, Spice, Pepper, Caramel, Vanilla

Finish: Long, Mint, Spice, Oak

golden brown liquid in a glencairn glass

Cocktail

Yield: 1 drink

Scofflaw

brownish red liquid in a coupe glass with a lemon peel garnish

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Parts Rye Whiskey
  • 1 Part Dry Vermouth
  • 3/4 Part Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 Part Grenadine

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake to chill
  2. Strain into a glass and garnish with lemon peel

While my initial intention when picking up a bottle of Knob Creek Rye was to use it for some classic cocktails like Manhattan or Boulevardier, Knob Creek themselves reminded me that I’ve never tried another classic rye whiskey cocktail, The Scofflaw. And, I will be adding it to my regular rotation, because I loved the balance of flavors. I already knew whiskey and lemon juice were a perfect match, but I particularly enjoyed the fruit notes from the grenadine and vermouth. They added to the strong cherry notes from Knob Creek Rye, and added a fresh quality to the cocktail.

Bottom Line

RATING: 3/5

Although I like the concept of a rye whiskey with characteristics of both rye and bourbon whiskies, I was bit disappointed in the end result of Knob Creek Rye. The evolution of flavor was novel, and I liked the nose and finish, but I wasn’t too fond of the overpowering cherry flavor on the palate. It was tolerable because it didn’t have the artificial quality I dislike in other whiskies with strong fruit notes, but it was too jarring compared to the more mellow nose and finish. The cherry notes also come through when mixed in a cocktail, so keep in mind that it might be too sweet if a recipe calls specifically for rye.

While I generally had a positive experience with Knob Creek Rye, I’m not sure if I would be willing to pay full price for another bottle. The moderate price point isn’t too far out of a comfortable price range, especially for a 100 proof whiskey, but I think I would look for a cheaper bottle or one that leans more into a traditional rye whiskey flavor. But, Knob Creek Rye is still a decent option if you are familiar with bourbon but want to ease into trying rye whiskey.

As always, drink responsibly.

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