By Richard Thomas
Score: B+
(Credit score: Beam Suntory)
Jim Beam is nearly making some extent of taking the croakers who push the “bourbon scarcity” narrative out again and smacking them within the face. First, they bucked the prevailing development and put the age assertion again on their flagship premium bourbon, Knob Creek. Then they launched 12, 15 and 18 12 months outdated variations of Knob Creek, all in wider and extra common launch than usually related to annual restricted editions. Now they’ve given the identical remedy to Knob Creek Rye, including a ten 12 months outdated expression.
I can already hear the croaking: “However 10 12 months outdated isn’t that outdated!” As anybody who follows the class is aware of, aged rye whiskey is now and has all the time been in shorter provide than comparable bourbon. Going again to the early 2010s, a ten 12 months outdated rye whiskey was really on the extra mature facet of issues. For those who don’t consider me, search up opinions on this web site from that period: I’ve received the receipts to show it. Knob Creek Rye is round 7 years outdated (it additionally picked up an age assertion, after beginning life with out one), so 10 years is a transparent step up in maturity.
In step with the Knob Creek model, this launch is 100 proof. Like all however essentially the most esoteric ryes coming from Jim Beam, this comes from their home inventory of Kentucky model rye, made with scarcely greater than 51% rye content material within the mash, however precisely how a lot rye is used isn’t identified for sure.
The Whiskey
The pour takes on a uninteresting bronze look within the glass, whereas the nostril has a theme of gingerbread meets black forest cake. On the one hand, there’s a cookie spice mix with an additional serving to of the ginger thrown in, main the nutmeg and cinnamon. Together with that could be a wealthy, earthy and bitter cocoa component.
Sipping on the whiskey develops the spice mix by giving it an natural facet whereas pulling again on the ginger. So, cookie spices plus spearmint and a contact of dill, this coupled to a present of vanilla and musty oak. It’s the cookie spices and musty oak that rolls over into what’s a light-weight contact of a end, however one which lingers on regardless of being mild.
I used to be undecided on whether or not to provide this an A- or a B+ grade, and finally needed to apply my conservative grading rule: when unsure, counter my trade’s terrible behavior of inflating scores by taking the decrease selection. Nonetheless, I additionally need to share the knowledge that it was not only a B+, however a B+ cusping on A-. For the value, it truly is a particular rye.
The Worth
Anticipate a bottle of Knob Creek 10 12 months Previous Rye to set your again by $70.
