Review of Janesville Bottle Club's Knob Creek 120 Single Barrel Select Bourbon

Every so often, package stores and whiskey clubs approach me to review one of their barrel picks. I used to do that for my own picks but stopped a few years ago because, well, let’s be blunt here: it was self-serving.

 

The Janesville Bottle Club (JBC) has been a staple in southern Wisconsin for about a decade and has a reputation for picking top-notch whiskeys (and I believe it even did a tequila a few years ago). If you want to learn more about the JBC, it maintains a Facebook Page.

 

Earlier this week, I was presented with a sample of its newest pick, a Knob Creek 120 Single Barrel Select Bourbon slated for release on Tuesday, April 8^th at 5:30pm. It will only be available at Sammy’s Hilltop, 3333 N County Road TK E in Janesville. Bottles go on sale at 5:30pm; each costs $60.00, and Sammy’s Hilltop only accepts cash for this transaction.

Jim Beam distills Knob Creek Bourbon at its Clermont, Kentucky facility from a mashbill of 77% corn, 13% rye, and 10% malted barley. It slept 9 years and 7 months in Warehouse P on the 5^th floor in a new, #4-charred oak barrel. Knob Creek 120 is always 60% ABV (120°).

 

Let’s #DrinkCurious without further ado and discover how this turned out.

 

Appearance: I sipped this Bourbon neat from a Glencairn glass. The topaz-colored whiskey formed a bold rim with thick, widely spaced, fast tears.

 

Nose: As I brought the glass to my nostrils and inhaled, I smelled cherries, leather, caramel, cocoa, and charred oak. The air tasted of sweet tobacco.

 

Palate: The Bourbon had a creamy, weighty mouthfeel. Cherries, vanilla, and thick caramel were evident on the front of my palate. The middle featured old leather, tobacco leaf, and cocoa. Flavors of oak, cinnamon, and black pepper hit the back.

 

Finish: Vanilla frosting, cherries, caramel, oak, dry leather, and black pepper. It was quite long; I timed the duration at 2:22.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This Knob Creek Single Barrel Select drank between five and ten points beneath its stated proof. It was mildly warm and did slightly numb the roof of my mouth. I found the Bourbon to be well-balanced, and the flavors complemented one another.

 

Regarding a value statement, JBC’s pick is a 9.5-year, 120° Bourbon, and $60.00 is quite reasonable.

 

This Bourbon offers nothing to complain about short of being a one-and-done thing. If you’re in the Janesville area, make your way to Sammy’s Hilltop and grab a Bottle before it is gone. Cheers!   

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.