Knob Creek is one of the more popular bourbons in America. In fact, it's too popular. The Louisville Courier reports that the Clermont, Kentucky, distiller just tapped its last barrels dry and the next ones won't be ready for six months.
One of the bourbon's strongest selling points is that it's aged in wooden barrels for nine years, double that of many whiskeys in the price range. The long aging process results in its distinctive sweetness -- but also means having to forecast sales nine years out, which an executive at the company, in an understatement, called "difficult."
Spirit companies usually make more than one brand of the same spirit, so when supplies gets low for one liquor, they can divert stock to the other. But even though Knob Creek is owned by Jim Beam, the company can't switch the two because Beam is only aged four years.
Not surprisingly, Knob Creek is trying to use the shortage to its advantage. Though it has yet to run out, the company has printed T-shirts marking "The drought of 2009" and delivered empty bottles to stores with notes saying "Thanks for nothing."
The next batch of Knob Creek will be ready to go in November, but some analysts believe supplies will go dry long before then, causing consumers to switch to other bourbons. If that happens, don't be surprised if Knob Creek taps the November barrels early and drops the "aged nine years" tag from its bottles. After all, whiskey that is still aged eight years and nine months is still damn good.
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I learned to drink bourbon w/W.L. Weller and it's a gem (and remains a bargain). Maker's Mark is another very nice whiskey, smooth. Both of these are 'wheat' bourbons, with more wheat than rye in their mashbill. I personally like my whusk with a little more rye bite, but I can't remember ever turning down a glass that someone else was buying.
Another tidbit of bourbon gossip. The French owners of Wild Turkey very quietly sold that fine company to Italian Campari group. The French (I hear) didn't really know what to do with Wild Turkey and let it muddle along with Jimmy Russell making dandy whiskey and turning a yearly profit. But they wanted another vodka in their portfolio, and et voila! The Italians are talking like they would like to expand & improve. As always when I hear anyone talking about improvements and expansion in the whiskey bidness, I look for the price to go up and the proof to go down across the board.
I've been drinking a lot of the Weller Reserve. That stuff is a bargain for a seven year old.
I'm not a bourbon drinker, but my late mother-in-law, who was, was partial to Maker's Mark.
I haven't tried the Templeton rye yet, but I've heard pretty good things. Enjoy! I'll mention that my favorite locally available highball mixer w/any rye whiskey is Vernor's Ginger Ale (I believe most price chopper's have this) or Stewart's Ginger Beer.
The folks at Buffalo Trace market Peychaud's bitters (necessary for a Sazerac) and Regan's Orange bitters. I couldn't find the Orange bitters locally so I ordered them from the BT website. FYI, their shipping is the same for 1 bottle or 5 bottles, so I bought a several and shared a with amigos who appreciate unobtainium.
Finally - an old joke, because old whusk requires old humor. Giraffe walks into a bar and says 'Drink up fellas. The highballs are on me!'
Sounds like you owe your buddy a drink.
This goes a little off topic, but I also use rye whiskey to 'spice up' my bourbon mixture...I buy 'handles' of bourbon as they go on sale and once every year or so I mix a handle or two of Ezra Brooks, Old Charter 8, Weller, Wild Turkey 101, Ten High, Evan Williams black and a fifth of Old Overholt (I have a forumla I worked out using shots of each instead of handles, then expanded).
I re-bottle this mixture in flasks, slap on a humorous label and give some away at Christmas or for birthdays. I drink the rest as my 'daily pour'. It makes for a pretty nice 85-86 proof bourbon that won't break the bank since I buy these on sale and stockpile handles til I 'mingle' a new batch. I try to balance 'sweet' bourbons like Ezra and Wild Turkey w/dry bourbon like Old Charter and Ten High. Then add rye to bring in bit of spicy flavor/aroma. Having a good supply of this around let's me keep my spendy bottles to mark special occasions. Pretty tasty, too. This stuff is way popular with my cronies, they'd rather have a little of this than most whusk I could buy 'off the shelf'
Thanks for all the info Carl. I knew Beam was behind Knob Creek but didn't realize the close relationship between Black Label and Knob. I obviously like Beam products tho, as in the last 5-7 years I progressed from White to Black to Knob.
As for Rye, I just started trying them. I got a bottle of Templeton Rye from family who came down from Iowa.
Thanks for the tips.
I have definitely jumped onto the Rye bandwagon, at least for cocktails. I asked a trusted bartender to make me a rye cocktail that wasn't a sazerac, and she put together something with a little sugar muddled with lime juice, rye, and a little soda water.. there was probably more to it that I didn't catch.. but it was delicious. Then I had a manhattan with Rye and it was delicious.
Its funny because I can remember about 7 years ago, when I was in my very early 20's, I had a friend who every once in awhile would order an Old Overholtz. All of us thought it was hilarious and disgusting. Just from the sound of it... it sounds like something your grandfather would drink but not in a good way. Of course, we were all drinking bud light, jack and coke, etc., all of which is awful compared to Old Overholtz.
FR isn't bad, their 'small batch' is probably the best bang for the buck from that distillery. But if you like Beam white, do try the Beam Black, nice step up for not much money. Another bargain from Beam is Old Grand Dad BIB (bottled in Bond). Good whusk, a different mash-formula, Beam purchased OGD and left well enough alone. They also make Old Overholt, always the best buy in Rye whiskey. I've got 6 types of straight rye here, probably drink more Old Overholt Manhattans than anything these days.
If you're wanting to try a new bourbon, rather than Four Roses have a sip of Buffalo Trace. It's been on local shelves around here for a year or so now (I used to have to order it over the web) and I think it's the best bourbon bargain in town right now. Beware, as soon as I make a statement like that they'll raise the price & lower the proof.
Appreciate the info Carl H.
You seem like the guy to ask - how is the Four Roses?
I'm no connoisseur of whiskey but it is what I usually drink. Of the cheaper ones, I find Jim Beam is the best by a wide margin. I've never actually tried Beam Black or Knob Creek, but I probably will now.
Addendum: Beam makes 3 basic bourbon mash 'formulas' and then ages them under different circumstances/different ages, adds more or less water to bottle them at different proofs - this to make many different bourbons. The Beam Black label formula is the very same whiskey as the Knob Creek, but released a year younger and cut with a bit more water to release at 90 proof. In other words if you like Knob Creek...go buy a bottle of Beam Black while there's plenty.
Beam white label is their young product, but Beam Black label is aged 8 years, and marketed at 90 proof. Look for less of it on the shelf as the barrels that would have been marketed as Beam Black label are diverted to become Knob Creek at 9 years and 100 proof instead.
This situation has been an amusing topic on the bourbon chat boards (straightbourbon.com and others). Consensus is that since life handed them a lemon they're making pretty good lemonade with it.
Beam was good enough to send me one of those tee shirts, but in size Large. I outgrew size L in Junior High. I had to look around for a godson small enough to wear it.
FWIW, Missouri now has Four Roses bourbon on the shelves. For many years they only sold this in Kentucky (so the workers could drink their own product) and the rest was shipped overseas, much of it going to Japan. It's an old name in bourbon, even if it's unfamiliar to my generation of whiskey fans. But I recall the three Stooges mentioning it in some of their old comedy shorts. Available in their basic 'yellow label' at $20 or less, with their small batch and single barrel whusk going for more money. I have't seen it on the Kansas side of the line yet.
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