Tasting Notes: Knob Creek Twice Barreled Rye Whiskey

This post sponsored by the Glencairn Whisky Glass

Knob Creek Twice Barreled Rye Whiskey is a limited edition product from Jim Beam. They have finished the rye in a second barrel giving the rye more oak tannins. I am not sure that is what a Knob Creek rye whiskey really needed. This is a decent whiskey, but if Beam wanted to finish the whiskey in some way, I would have preferred something that would have brought out some more vanilla and caramel like a toasted barrel. Then again, I always liked the regular Knob Creek rye so I am not sure why they needed to finish it in any type of barrel.

I will give Jim Beam credit on this limited edition. They did not try to create something that is hard to find and expensive. There were several of these bottles on the shelf when we found this bottle and it did not cost that much more than the regular Knob Creek rye. Beam does seem to have the whiskey fan in mind with their limited releases and not the bottle flippers. Because of that I am willing to spend a few dollars to support their limited edition bottles. I know that it will be a decent whiskey.

Knob Creek Twice Barreled Rye Whiskey

Proof: 100

Age: No Age Statement

Nose: Lots of rye grass, cinnamon, oak and a little caramel and apricot fruit.

Taste: Lots of rye grass and oak with some caramel and cinnamon spice. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the rye grass and oak increases and the caramel and spice decreases. Tasted with a pecan and the apricot comes forward and the rye grassiness decreases quite a bit.

Finish: Long, dry and lots of oak tannins. The cranberry and the pecan did not change the finish on this whiskey. I think this is the first whiskey I have tasted where they did not change the finish.

I decided to pair this with a Rocky Patel Decade cigar. I find the smoke has some rich tobacco sweetness with very little cedar spice. The rye gave the smoke some sweet notes of vanilla and caramel as well as more spice. The smoke actually lessens the rye grass and oak in the whiskey while enhancing the caramel. It was a good choice for the pairing.