Knob Creek Rye

[sku]

Sam Komlenic stopped by yesterday and he sampled my bottle of KC Rye. Even before he had any, he noticed that the bottle does not say "Kentucky Straight" anywhere on it- it is only bottled by Knob Creek Distilling (Beam). There is no mention of who distills it, or if it's even from Kentucky. Sam made mention that he even thought it had a few characteristics in common with LDI ryes, but stopped short of feeling confident it was from a different source other than Beam. I had not noticed the lack of "Kentucky Straight" on the labeling, but after he pointed it out, we got to wondering "What IS Knob Creek Rye?"

They need to list the state of distillation on the label, so if it was made by LDI, it would need to say "produced in Indiana" or something to that effect. That's assuming of course that the TTB is enforcing its rules, which is not always the case, but the big players tend to follow them voluntarily.

[ethangsmith]

True, but now what about the lack of "Straight" ??

[AaronWF]

True, but now what about the lack of "Straight" ??

I've never had any Kentucky Gay Rye Whiskey, not that there's anything wrong with it...

[ethangsmith]

That's not exactly what I meant.

[sku]

True, but now what about the lack of "Straight" ??

Well, you don't have to label something straight even if it is. If it were under two years old, it would have to carry an age statement, which it doesn't, so I'm guessing they just decided not to use the label straight. The alternative would be that it has caramel coloring.

[Rughi]

Well, you don't have to label something straight even if it is. If it were under two years old, it would have to carry an age statement, which it doesn't, so I'm guessing they just decided not to use the label straight. The alternative would be that it has caramel coloring.

Maybe it's just that the target clientele for the product don't understand the term and it's just more text to clutter up a title.

Similarly, removing "Old" from some expressions of a brand could clean up the look and message for those who aren't cognizant of and sentimental towards historical labels. Charter 101 is a great example.

Roger

[White Dog]

So Knob Creek Rye is 2.5 year old LDI juice with caramel coloring? I'm liking this new rumor!

In all seriousness, I've had it, and it tastes nothing like LDI to me. Then again, I've never added caramel to Templeton. Hmm...

[sku]

Maybe it's just that the target clientele for the product don't understand the term and it's just more text to clutter up a title.

I think that is most likely. Most people have no idea what "straight" means. I'm surprised more whiskeys don't drop it from the label.

[StraightBoston]

I tasted this at Beam's Spirits Confidential event last week in New Hampshire and talked to Fred Noe about it. Apparently it is rolling out earlier in control states because of fixed windows in which they can add products -- NH got it this month.

Fred said that Knob Creek Rye differed from ri(1) by proof and age -- up to 9yo, but keeping a 9yo age statement was too woody for the rye mashbill. ri(1) was claimed to be 6 years old.

Bernie Lubbers was filling flasks with dry grains representing the various Beam mashbills, which were checked off on the label. "Rye Whiskey" was listed as Jim Beam Rye/Old Overholt/ri(1) -- either the label predates the introduction of KC Rye, or another sign for the conspiracy theory? (Bakers and Bookers were not listed with Jim Beam/Knob Creek either.)

I'll confess that I did not notice the lack of "Kentucky Straight" on the label...

[LostBottle]

Knob Creek is the whiskey that got me into bourbon, which in turn led to my rye weakness. I will need to pick up a bottle to try. Being a Beam rye, I don't have high expectations, perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised though.