Hey hey, it’s Bonus Post Day! Again!
If you ever talk to a Minnesotan in late October and mention snow, they’ll inevitably bring up the Halloween Blizzard of 1991, when 28 inches of snow buried trick-or-treaters as they braved the streets for candy. I lived through it 30 years ago, and I heard a lot about it yesterday as snow was once again predicted for Halloween.
But this time, it was just a dusting and seemed to have barely affected the kids going door-to-door. Of course, that doesn’t mean I had a lot of kids come to my house. No, I got just one. He was dressed as a dragon—a costume that fit nicely over a warm winter coat since it was below freezing once the sun went down. That made me sad. I don’t usually get many kids at my house, but the cold kept the little kids away, and they’re the most fun to give candy to.
Today, however, marks the start of a new month and the beginning of the holiday season. As far as I’m concerned, the time from Halloween to New Year’s is the best part of the year, and I’m hoping for plenty of festive cheer. So, since we’ve turned the page on Halloween, let’s turn it to whiskey—specifically, a new limited-time offering from Jim Beam’s Knob Creek brand.
Knob Creek Bourbon X Rye is a blend of straight whiskeys composed of 30% Knob Creek 9-year-old bourbon and 70% Knob Creek 7-year-old rye whiskey. It’s bottled at 113° proof and has a suggested retail price of $44.99 for a 750 mL bottle. The press release says it’s limited, but I bought it at Total Wine in August, and there are still some on the shelves today—so take that how you will.
Let’s dig in.
Knob Creek Bourbon X Rye
Purchase Info: $48.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN
Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.27
Details: 56.5% ABV. Blend includes 30% Knob Creek 9-year-old bourbon and 70% Knob Creek 7-year-old rye whiskey.
Nose: Cedar, mint, caramel, chocolate, and cinnamon.
Mouth: Cinnamon, mint, red fruits, citrus zest, cedar, caramel, and oak.
Finish: Warm and long with notes of cinnamon red hots, cedar, and spearmint.
Thoughts: This is really rye-forward, and I’m here for it. It’s got a nice balance of spicy and sweet, with cedar and mint being prominent throughout. This is quite tasty. Is it a replacement for the higher-proof Knob Creek Rye or Bourbon single barrel releases? I wouldn’t say so, as it’s sweeter than the rye but much more vibrant and spicy than the bourbon. It’s a third option that kind of splits the difference. So, do I like it? Well, let’s just say I hadn’t had this bottle open very long when I realized it was about half-empty, having become my go-to pour. I had to put it away so I’d have enough left for a review. So yeah, I’d say I like it quite a bit.
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