Knob Creek Rolls Out Its Oldest Whiskey Yet

When James B. Beam master distiller Fred Noe laid down barrels of Knob Creek’s flagship bourbon in 2004, there wasn’t an expectation that a portion of them would rest in the warehouse for more than two decades. But as the whiskey matured and passed its baseline of 9 years old, the distilling team left some barrels from the lot untouched, buoyed by the results they were seeing. Finally, at 21 years old, the barrels were emptied and the bourbon was bottled, becoming the oldest whiskey that Knob Creek—or James B. Beam Distilling overall—has ever released.

While some of Knob Creek’s core whiskeys are chill-filtered, this ultra-aged bourbon was not. But Noe and son Freddie Noe did proof it down slightly from a cask strength of 55% to 50% ABV, smoothing out some of its rougher edges. Right off the bat, the bourbon’s age is apparent, signaled by a deep mahogany color; aromas of oak, barrel char, and crème brûlée that also point to a lengthier maturation than the standard 9 year old Knob Creek. It drinks well neat, with more toasted sugar, barrel char, Heath Bar, and a hint of red fruit all in the glass. This is a limited release, but it will be available nationwide, retailing at $250 a bottle.

The 21 year old joins Knob Creek’s age-stated lineup that feels more akin to Scotland than bourbon, stacked with 9, 12, 15, and 18 year old expressions. Will we see an even older Knob Creek in the future? The Noes haven’t ruled it out, stressing that they won’t release old whiskeys just for the sake of putting another ultra-aged whiskey on the shelf.