Knob Creek's New Series Spotlights the Art of the Blend

At James B. Beam Distilling Co., Knob Creek is tipping its hat to the art of blending with a new limited-edition series Blender’s Edition. The debut whiskey was spearheaded by Beam master distiller Freddie Noe. He wanted a bourbon that emphasized Knob Creek’s sweeter notes, chief among them vanilla bean; together with the Beam blending team, Noe and the Knob Creek blending team landed on a selection of bourbons aged at least 10 years that had abundant confectionery sweetness. We had an early taste, and indeed sugary notes abound. The whiskey is rife with vanilla frosting, nougat, yogurt-covered raisin, ripe cherry, maple syrup, powdered doughnut, and toasted marshmallow flavors, making for a bourbon that will appeal to those with a sweet tooth. As with all Knob Creek barrels, the selected casks were subject to maximum char (no. 4, or up to 60 seconds). The whiskey was bottled at 106 proof and will be available nationwide for $45.

Knob Creek is no stranger to thoughtful blending—one of our favorite new releases in 2024 was the brand’s Bourbon x Rye, a blend of 7 year old rye and 9 year old bourbon that took the No.-13 spot on our Top 20 list from that year. Noe in particular has shown an affinity for blending, with the majority of his Little Book Chapters featuring unusual blends.

While master distillers often get a lot of credit for whisky making, especially in the U.S., the role of blending (an act that many distillers themselves also partake in) has become far more popularized over the past decade, thanks in part to the efforts of people like John Glaser (formerly of Compass Box) and the rise of Japanese whisky. These days, more whisky drinkers know that while distillation is a science, real art can be found in a blend, with the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.