Jim Beam Has Brought Back Its Excellent Knob Creek Bourbon and Rye Whiskey Blend

Do you like , or are you more of a drinker? How about a blend of both? Small Batch Collection family member just announced the return of its Bourbon x Rye Kentucky Blended Straight a year after it was first released, because apparently the people demanded more of this mashup of categories.

I the original release of this blend of whiskeys last year—which the brand said was a one-time thing at the time)—and was pretty impressed by it (I even predicted that it would come back for another round). is a core member of the Small Batch Collection, which also includes (barrel-proof bourbon), (single-barrel bourbon), and (80-proof bourbon and rye with some interesting expressions like in the mix). stands out from these as being a lineup of 100-proof bourbon (nine years old) and rye (seven years old), along with some excellent single barrel expressions and limited-edition age statements including 12, 15, and 18 years (the 15 is the sweet spot).

Bourbon x Rye does not have an age statement, but if it did it would have to be seven years old—that’s because it’s a blend of the age-stated rye whiskey and bourbon. According to a rep, the blend is exactly the same as the original: 70 percent rye and 30 percent bourbon which is bottled at 113 proof. Last year’s tasting notes revealed balanced notes of sweetness and spiciness on the palate along with caramel, brown sugar, hot honey, black pepper, prune, green apple, and muddled orange and cherries in the mix.

This whiskey is a great sipper and plays well in cocktails, especially given the high percentage of rye in the blend. It stands up with or even surpasses other bourbon-rye blends, the best known of which is probably  Bourye. There’s also Lost Monarch from , Breuckelen Distilling’s 77 Bourbon and Rye, Slipknot No. 9 Iowa Whiskey for all the nu-metal heads, and we shouldn’t leave out ‘s Two by Two from a few years ago, a blend of two bourbons and two ryes.

Bourbon x Rye Kentucky Blended Straight Whiskey is available now around the country (SRP $45) at local liquor stores and websites like . And if you’re interested in checking out some of those higher age statements in the Knob Creek lineup, you can find them available to purchase at .