Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 91 |
| Style |
Bourbon American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In |
Kentucky United States |
| ABV | 50% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $250.00 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Reviewed | 2025-11-07 |
Knob Creek 21 Year Old Review
Knob Creek 21 Year Old Stats and Availability
The oldest expression of Knob Creek in the brand’s 33-year history, this holiday release is bottled at 100 proof and just came out nationwide in limited quantities. For $249.99, buyers also get a “distinguished keepsake box,” according to the brand.
Knob Creek 21 Year Old Review
For whatever reason, Knob Creek never seems to generate the excitement that other longstanding, small batch lines in the Kentucky bourbon world do. Forget the Pappys and Russell’s Reserves of the world, Knob Creek is often stuck playing second fiddle to Jim Beam’s other small batch brand, Booker’s.
And yet, year after year, Knob Creek quietly puts out great release after great release, many of which can actually be found on shelves thanks to a lack of ‘tater’ clamoring.
So here comes the oldest ever release of Knob Creek at, quite frankly, a fairly reasonable MSRP.
Uncorking the bottle, I was hit with an absolutely beautiful aroma of charred oak with wafts of caramel and vanilla coming off my Glencairn. If this tastes half as good as it smells, we’ve got a masterpiece here, I thought. Alas, the palate doesn’t quite deliver.
Remarkably, it is not over-oaked or tannic despite the age. It’s woody, of course, and a little one-note at that, but there is a decent balance of toffee, leather, and spice.
It’s good — very good, even — but I’m not so sure it’s great.
Knob Creek 21 Year Old Rating
91/100
Knob Creek 21 Year Old Recap
It’ll be hard to pass on a 21-year-old bourbon if you find it for $250, and I’m not saying you should either. But this is quality drinking bourbon, not a save-for-a-special-occassion bourbon. You’ll enjoy it, you’ll be glad you bought it, but I doubt you’ll still think of it by this time next year.
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