I definitely have a sweet spot for bourbon and this one quickly gained my admiration. It is produced by Beam Inc. in Kentucky and is named after Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home Knob Creek. Because it has aged nine years in charred American white oak it has absorbed more sugar in the wood than younger bourbons. This sweetness really comes through and I guess this is partly why I love this particular edition. That said, the sugary flavors are well balanced with oaky and to a certain extent floral notes. This works very well. You can also find syrup, spicy rye, and small amounts of caramel in here. At 50% abv. you would expect it to be rather harsh and hard to drink on the rocks. This is not the case though. Still I have a tendency to add a few drops of water just to get rid of the edge.

VERDICT: With 50% abv. Knob Creek does not reach the broad audience. A shame if you ask me. It has the perfect balance between woody, sweet and floral notes. In my opinion this is one of Kentucky’s finest.

  (7.2/10)