Jim Beam’s Knob Creek Just Unveiled New Cask-Strength Single-Barrel Whiskeys

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Each member of the Small Batch Collection has a specific role: is barrel-proof ; has a high rye mashbill and is bottled at 80 proof; is a single-barrel bourbon; and provides 100-proof whiskeys with age statements. That last brand just got a significant upgrade, however, with the announcement of the expansion of its single-barrel program to include new cask-strength whiskeys.

The late legendary master distiller Booker Noe created in 1992, and the brand has become a favorite of fans over the years due to the affordability and quality of its core bourbon and rye whiskey. That reputation was certainly buttressed by the fact that the bourbon had a 9-year-old age statement, which is more than twice as old as Original or other comparable whiskeys. That age statement disappeared in 2016 due to what the distillery said was high demand, disappointing many of its hard-core fans, but it returned four years later. More recently, 12, 15, and 18-year-old versions of the bourbon were introduced, and over the past few years the rye whiskey got 7-year-old and statements.

already had single-barrel expressions available, but those whiskeys were bottled at 120 proof across the board. The new Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Cask Strength includes bourbon and rye whiskey that is bottled, as it says right there in the name, at cask strength. That means that these whiskeys are uncut and unfiltered (aside from removing barrel char) with the proof ranging from 110 to 130 for bourbon and 100 to 120 for rye.

“When my grandfather created , he set out to make a whiskey that stood out—bold, robust, and no shortcuts,” said eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe in a statement. “With our Single Barrel Select Program, we pay tribute to that legacy by offering fans the chance to experience Knob Creek in its most authentic form—uncut and unfiltered, creating the most unadulterated single barrel selection in Knob Creek’s history.”

Retailers will be able to visit the James B. Beam Distilling Co. to taste through samples and select barrels that meet their specific flavor profile, but those that are unable to travel to Kentucky can have samples sent to them to try. Consumers can also visit the distillery to participate in the Private Barrel Club and make their own barrel picks (you can find out more ). Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Cask Strength will be available at participating retailers (SRP $70) this month, and you can find the rest of the lineup—including the older 120-proof single barrel expressions—available at websites like now.