Subtlety is important in whiskey. When a distillery wants to impress its drinkers with something “new,” they know better than to completely reinvent their wheelhouse. Knob Creek has been making their super-premium bourbon for 25 years (we haven’t been disappointed yet) and their latest limited edition offering stays true to that history. The approach here is taking their flagship bourbon and giving it a second finish in quarter oak barrels.
Consider that the standard barrels used to age bourbon hold a bit over fifty gallons each. A quarter cask holds, well, a quarter of that. The wood-to-whiskey ratio is significantly shifted in the wood’s favor and Knob Creek holds the spirit in these barrels for four years, producing something that’s very heavy on the oak. While we’d be curious to try it, we’re pretty sure the result is anything but subtle. Which is why just a small amount of this oaky delight is mixed with their regular Kentucky Straight Bourbon for this expression.
Knob Creek Quarter Oak is a rich, dark honey bourbon with good char notes, heavy oak flavors and a long dry finish. It’s out now for around $50 a bottle, and it’s seeing nationwide availability — but it won’t be around long.
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