Knob Creek Single Barrel Store Pick (Double Booked and Santa’s Barrel)
What makes single barrel whiskey unique? Why is it that two nearly identical barrels, aged about the same time in similar conditions from the exact same distillate, can be so different? I don’t have the answers of course—many factors contribute to the mysterious nature of whiskey maturation—but I’m always on the lookout for comparisons of similar single barrels that might give a bit of a clue about what makes one whiskey taste like chocolate, while another tastes like vanilla. Today’s review will offer one such comparative glimpse, with a look at a single barrel bourbon drawn straight from the cask vs. the same bourbon in its final bottled version featuring a few extra months of age and proofed down just a bit, as well as a look at a second bourbon barrel that was picked on the same day from the same warehouse.
To start, we need to go back a few months.
Last October I had the opportunity to go to the Jim Beam Distillery to help select single barrels of Knob Creek bourbon and rye with Elixir Spirits, a liquor store in Spring Hill, TN. Tarak, Elixir’s owner, ended up purchasing two barrels of bourbon and one barrel of rye (the rye just arrived, and I’ll be reviewing that one separately in the near future). I previously wrote about the experience of picking the barrels, so I’m not going to rehash the details of the selection. If you haven’t yet read that post, it might be worthwhile to go back to it first before continuing with this review.
The first place bourbon barrel we selected that day, which we named “Double Booked” (the green barrel from the tasting), was bottled a few months after we made our pick and arrived in the store about a month ago. The second place bourbon barrel which Tarak also bought (the blue barrel) arrived a few weeks before Christmas and hence was named Santa’s Barrel.
Fun fact—the name Double Booked came about because originally Jim Beam had mistakenly booked two liquor stores (both from the Nashville area) for the exact same day and time slot. That issue coupled with the fact that “Book” is a word somewhat synonymous with Jim Beam (Booker’s, Little Book, etc.) and it seemed like Double Booked was a good name for this store pick (and it was my suggestion, I don’t mind saying ?). I have to admit that I’m kinda proud of this bottle and therefore may have just a bit of favorable bias here—this was the first barrel pick I’ve gone on, the name was my idea, and the image on the sticker is based on a photo I took. I kinda feel like it’s my barrel. Still, no money or freebies came my way for this review (or any of my reviews) and I paid for my bottles, so I’m ahead of a lot of other whiskey reviewers out there in the bias department.
Anyhow… let’s take a look at Double Booked, with a bonus review of Santa’s Barrel. But first some details.
Both of these bourbons were aged over 14 years. Double Booked was barreled on 11/10/2004 and bottled on 1/24/2019 (about three months after we sampled it in the Jim Beam warehouse). Santa’s Barrel was barreled on 2/26/2004 and bottled sometime between 10/22/2018 and early December (exact date unknown).
Knob Creek Single Barrel Review
Double Booked
Type: Bourbon
Region: Kentucky
Age: 14 years (barreled on 11/10/04, bottled on 1/24/19)
ABV: 60%
Nose
Big, rich, and wonderfully appetizing, with notes of brown sugar, chocolate covered peanut brittle, dark caramel, and cherry cobbler.
Palate
The first thing I noticed when tasting this bottle was the big and wonderfully viscous mouthfeel, with a bit of grittiness thrown in. Oaky and a bit astringent as you’d expect from a 14 year old bourbon, but not overly so. Creamy vanilla candy like vanilla Tootsy Rolls or taffy. Creme brûlée. Silky smooth caramel. Dark chocolate brownies. Cherry cordial.
Finish
Long. Apricot. Mixed berries. Chocolate pudding. Toffee.
Overall
I love the chocolate notes on this bourbon. And the creamy mouthfeel. Like I said earlier, there may be a bit of bias on my part here since I helped pick this barrel, but this is the best Knob Creek single barrel I’ve ever had. I’ve done side by sides with several other Knob Creeks, both blind and not, and every time Double Booked wins. More on that later.
Barrel vs. Bottle
I had a small amount of bourbon that was drawn straight from the barrel on the day we picked what would become Double Booked, so of course I had to do a side by side of the barrel sample vs the bottled version. Since the barrel sample was put in a container on the day of the pick, it was about three months younger than the bottled version (and of course it was undiluted and completely unfiltered).
On the nose, the barrel sample is more restrained. Apricot. Fresh cut wood. Not nearly as appetizing as the bottled version. The palate is not as sweet. The chocolate notes are present, but much more subdued. More astringent, yet softer in flavor. Not as balanced as its bottled brother. It finishes hot with lots of cinnamon. It’s good, but not nearly as good as the final product.
Yes, surprisingly there’s a pretty big difference here between the cask sample and the final bottled version, with the bottled version being the surprise winner. And as much as I’d love to say that I foresaw this bourbon being truly remarkable the day we tasted it in the warehouse… I didn’t. I liked it that day, sure. I liked it a lot. It was the best of the three samples we tried. But did I think it would be a bourbon I’d give as high a score as I’m about to give? No. In my opinion, the final bottled product is much better than the bourbon I sampled in the Beam warehouse.
Everyone always says whiskey tastes best straight from the cask… perhaps that’s not as certain a truth as believed? Could be. Although in this case, I would guess that the extra few months in barrel seriously benefited this bourbon, accounting for the improvement.
To see if the other variable (ABV) could account for the difference, I added water to the barrel sample to put it at about the same proof as the bottle. It improved with water, but not to the same level as the bottled version. So yeah, it’s bonkers how much difference a few extra months of aging can make.
SCORE: 8/10
Let’s look at the other barrel we picked that same day…
Santa’s Barrel
Type: Bourbon
Region: Kentucky
Age: 14 years (barreled on 2/26/04, bottled sometime after 10/22/18)
ABV: 60%
Nose
Classic Beam profile. Roasted peanuts and dark caramel. Oak. Astringent.
Palate
Again, classic Beam, with big roasted peanuts, dark caramel, and oak. Chewy. Vanilla, but not sweet. A good bit of cherry cough syrup. Big and bold. Not a bourbon for the faint of heart or for those wanting something “smooth.”
Finish
Medium in length. A bit of Juicy Fruit gum. Apricot.
Overall
A solid Knob Creek, but nothing extraordinary. I don’t see a big difference between this barrel and standard Knob Creek bottlings or other store picks. It’s a fine and solid sipping bourbon, with a pretty typical Beam/Knob Creek flavor profile. Personally when it comes to store picks, I want a whiskey that’s atypical and unique (that’s kinda the point, right?), so this one doesn’t quite do a lot for me in that regard. Still, a nice pour.
SCORE: 6/10
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned earlier, I did several blind side by sides between Double Booked and other Knob Creek store picks, but I also did the same between it and a few other heavyweight bourbons, including Booker’s and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Every blind side by side I did had the same result—Double Booked won. Well, OK, all but one. ECBP beat it when I tried them blind. But that’s hardly a fair comparison, ECBP is one of the best bourbons on the planet. The fact that this single barrel of Knob Creek could go toe to toe with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is quite an accomplishment.
Of course unless you live near Nashville, TN, you’re not likely to be able to get a hold of these particular single barrels of Knob Creek. And while there are other excellent Knob Creek store picks, they aren’t usually as good as Double Booked. I would say that the majority of Knob Creeks I’ve tried fall in the 6 to 7 out of 10 range on my scoring scale (which is good—anything 6 or above on my scale is recommended if the price is right).
Buying Advice: Knob Creek store picks offer excellent value. They’re affordable and almost always pretty solid for the price. And then every once in a while you might come across one that’s a real standout like Double Booked. If you do, grab it while you can.
When it comes to store picks, it’s always a good idea to try a sample before you buy, but if that’s not an option, Knob Creek picks are usually a pretty safe blind buy in my opinion. And if you’re a Booker’s fan looking for a more affordable alternative—side note: can you believe Booker’s is now up to $80 a bottle? Oof—Knob Creek Single Barrel should help to scratch your nutty Beam itch at nearly half the price.
Questions about my scoring system? Refer to the Review Method & Scoring Scale page.
For more reviews, check out the Whisky Review Archive.
