Woodford reserve vs knob creek

[BFerguson]

KC, was a college favorite and always a dependable glass wherever you may be.

The one bottle of Woodford I had once just rubbed me wrong. Haven't revisited it again.

B

[jdodso3]

KC for sure. The Binnys SB was quite good. I got a bottle of WR for a gift last Christmas and can't stand it. If I have to prepare myself for it, it isn't worth drinking. I used it as a mixer in whiskey cokes just to get rid of it.

[edo]

I'm doing a side by side as I type. (I have a bottle of Labrot & Graham Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select ... batch 80, bottle no. 08915 by my side as I type.) This bottle was approved by Mr.(?) Chris Morris -there's an accent mark over the 'i' so maybe it's pronounced Mo-reece, ...or maybe not. This is a one-liter bottle for which I paid the equivalent of $36 a couple years ago, but only opened within the last week or so.

Now, THIS bottle, (the approved no. 08915, from batch 80) is 'da sh't'. This is exactly how bourbon whiskey should taste- got the somewhat arid spicy licorice, leathery, cigar, woody thang going on in the main, while there's still that vanilla - persimmon (floral?) business hanging back understated- where it should be. Chest-burn is a warm coal (6 year old juice?) proper and perfect for my environment -Jan 4 11pm piss-poor insulation and no central heating. I stand with Chris Morris on this one, this is damn good bourbon.

....the ephemeral pour is gone... nothing left, but the memory.

Okay, ... I can't remember Knob Creek, ... I know it has a flat bottle like WR (but no batch and bottle numbers and Chris Morris don't give a damn about it), and it's Beam, and I like Beam... ah! I spy an open OGD BIB (my go-to) ... now here's big flavor- more eucalyptus than licorice, ... but many similarities with WR batch 80, no. 08915 approved of by Chris Morris and heartily approved of by me... but the balance is also different, eucalyptus/licorice and rye just whoopin' hell out of the vanilla, hot coal burning hotter- nothing wrong with that on this cold night...

I prefer WR to OGD BIB (since I can't remember KC), but nothing wrong about KC's proxy for my side by side, OGD BIB.

' course, that's just one man's opinion on one night, and who's to say? if I poured the OGD into an attractive flat bottle with a cork and a top that looks like real wood and doubled the price and the temp dropped another 5 degrees ...

[Enoch]

I always keep a bottle of each open. I find them both very similar but the KC is a little sweeter. I prefer the WR but neither is my go-to bourbon at night. They tend to be the high end choice in many local bars.

[trumpstylz]

WR at 100 proof? That would be a matchup.

[JayMonster]

I bought a bottle of Woodford a few weeks back, and for some reason, I have been reaching around it, over it, and buying other things (including my first bottle of Knob Creek), and generally pretending it isn't there. And I have no idea why.

Perhaps as I await our first (potentially) significant snowfall this evening, it is time to get a fire going and pit Knob Creek against Woodford.

[Old Lamplighter]

If someone gave/gifted me a bottle of each and asked me to pick, I might decline and ask for a 3rd choice for my trouble.

My apologies for wasting space here...couldn't help myself :grin: :drink:

[Beer&Bourbon]

I'm drinking some knob creek in Ale-8-One. Quite superb.

I got a bottle of Woodford for Christmas in 2010 and traded it for a half empty bottle of Johnny Drum that someone brought to a party; I'd make the same trade again today. Even aside from price it really is one of my least favorite bourbons.

[JayMonster]

If someone gave/gifted me a bottle of each and asked me to pick, I might decline and ask for a 3rd choice for my trouble.

My apologies for wasting space here...couldn't help myself :grin: :drink:

Fortunately, that is the great thing about having choices, it would really suck if everything was exactly the same.

For me personally, since I am so new to really appreciating bourbon (There was a time not all that long ago that I thought the bourbon world began and ended with Jim Beam White and Maker's Mark), I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing to try even some of the... less than stellar... because in order to know what is truly good, you must also know what is not.

[Old Lamplighter]

Fortunately, that is the great thing about having choices, it would really suck if everything was exactly the same.

For me personally, since I am so new to really appreciating bourbon (There was a time not all that long ago that I thought the bourbon world began and ended with Jim Beam White and Maker's Mark), I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing to try even some of the... less than stellar... because in order to know what is truly good, you must also know what is not.

I cannot disagree with a word. I am/was with you on the JB & MM - along with JD (which I did not know was not bourbon until I was in my 30s....slow learner)).

:toast:

[JayMonster]

Well, to say the least, this has been a very enlightening experiment and thread. Here is what I learned:

1. I understand how people find unique and distinctive. Even my less than seasoned palate could almost certainly pick this out in a blind taste test.

2. Yes, Knob Creek is not distinctive, and I can understand how some find it less than exciting.

3. Distinctive is not always good. Though, certainly not as bad as Evan Williams Black (another "distinctive" taste), drinking the Woodford Reserve seemed more of a chore than a pleasure and I understand how some say that they need to prepare themselves before drinking it.

4. Knob Creek is certainly not at the top of my list, but as someone that prefers Wheaters, this is not a surprise, but it is certainly not something I would pass up either. I will probably keep a bottle around, if for no other reason than for a change of pace from the Jim Beam Black (which itself is my changeup from OWA and MM).

5. Places outside NJ certainly have a different idea of what bourbon is available in restaurants. Having Knob Creek available in "bad" restaurants?? Here, you are lucky if you find more than OGD. Wild Turkey will show up in some places and I have seen WTRB show up on some top shelves. And of course Jim Bream shows up in places where bourbon and coke and jello shots are the norm. I can only hope now that bourbon is becoming more fashionable that these choices will improve... I just hope that doesn't mean Woodford showing up in more places.

[ethangsmith]

Never had a Brown-Forman product I liked. Old Forester Signature wasn't bad and I may revisit it, but the small amount of Woodford Reserve I've had was very unimpressive for all the hype and price. For $35, I'd rather get some Elmer T. Lee, Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve, or Elijah Craig 12. As for Knob Creek, it's probably 3rd or 4th on my short list of Beam products I would actually keep around. It's good bourbon, but it does not excel at anything and is very non-complex in flavor.

[JayMonster]

As for Knob Creek, ... It's good bourbon, but it does not excel at anything and is very non-complex in flavor.

I'd say that is spot on (and the reason some say that they prefer the WR over it. But, the question is... is there anything wrong with it just being what it is? Being "non-complex in flavor" is exactly why I am thinking I will keep a bottle around. Sometimes, "simple" is a nice change.

[c2walker]

I bought a bottle of Woodford a few weeks back, and for some reason, I have been reaching around it, over it, and buying other things (including my first bottle of Knob Creek), and generally pretending it isn't there. And I have no idea why.

Perhaps as I await our first (potentially) significant snowfall this evening, it is time to get a fire going and pit Knob Creek against Woodford.

I've found myself rooting for Woodford as I've read this thread since it's the bourbon that got me interested in bourbon, but, after reading JayMonster's post, I realized that my open bottle of Woodford has seen many shelf companions come and go. Evidently I too have been reaching around poor ol' Woodford. I decided to sample my 5 current open bottles of whiskey (Woodford, Bernheim, ORVW 10/90, Baby Saz, Eagle Rare 10) side by side and WR was, by far, my least favorite. I found it to be a bit medicinal. With that said, I had Knob Creek at an event last night and it was a decent pour, but I'm not about to go rush out and buy it.

[stevegoz]

Three years ago I hosted my first tasting, drawing from eight bottles ranging from EW Black to Booker's. Woodford Reserve finished last, confirming my own bias against it. I did, however, find that it went quite well in a mint julep, so it did ultimately go to good use.

As for the Knob, I mainly keep it for one of my poker buddies. When it runs out, it probably won't be replaced. Not because it's bad, but because it's not all that good a value.

[Moretorque05]

In my area, Woodford Reserve and the Knob Creek Single Barrel both are in the $33-35 price range. I really like Woodford, but the Single Barrel edition KC just blows it away for the same price.

[JayMonster]

Did a second round with both of these bottles again, and my view changed... not altered, but I'd say the gap widened between the two.

Woodford Reserve - I didn't care for this first time around. Yes, it is unique, and easy to pick out. But that is the best spin I could put on it. Second time around, I did get a bit more flavor it seemed from the outset, but it still finished uncomfortably odd. I couldn't put words to it the first time, but it really hit me the second time around. The taste, so pronounced on the finish reminds me of the taste you get when a dentist gives you an Amalgam (metal) filling. Definitely worse the second time around. I am going to put this bottle away until summer before giving it one more try. At least by then, if it doesn't improve, I can use it for mixed drinks.

Knob Creek - No, it is not very complex, A bit of Vanilla, maybe Maple, a touch of sweetness, but certainly nothing like the wheaters I usually lean towards and of course some oak. Finish is a dry and quick, and I am guessing this is where it loses many people. It just sort of ends. No lingering flavors, just warming, dry finish. But as a contrasting taste to my usual fare, I definitely like this more than I did before and think it will hold its spot on the bar for a while.

[smokinjoe]

I got to thinking about this again yesterday while sipping on a Woodford Reserve during my flight back to ATL from LA. Before taking off, I had also enjoyed a Knob Creek at the airport bar. Long week...I deserved them... I was going over the two in my mind, and determined that they are both fine whiskies. And, like I had mentioned in my earlier post, it's 50/50 on which one I would choose at any given time. But, the one thing that became perfectly clear at 36,000 feet and 620 MPH, was this... Without question, if the Whiskey Gods came to me to choose which of these two fine bourbons should NOT be permanently discontinued...I would definitely select the Woodford. In my mind, I can replace the Knob. But, the Woodford's distinctiveness makes it irreplaceable. There simply is no other bourbon out there that is similar. It's flavor profile is singularly different from every other make. In other words, if the Knob were to be discontinued, I might go pick up a couple of bottles for the bunker for posterity's sake. If the Woodford were to be discontinued, I'd be picking up cases.

[T Comp]

I got to thinking about this again yesterday while sipping on a Woodford Reserve during my flight back to ATL from LA. Before taking off, I had also enjoyed a Knob Creek at the airport bar. Long week...I deserved them... I was going over the two in my mind, and determined that they are both fine whiskies. And, like I had mentioned in my earlier post, it's 50/50 on which one I would choose at any given time. But, the one thing that became perfectly clear at 36,000 feet and 620 MPH, was this... Without question, if the Whiskey Gods came to me to choose which of these two fine bourbons should NOT be permanently discontinued...I would definitely select the Woodford. In my mind, I can replace the Knob. But, the Woodford's distinctiveness makes it irreplaceable. There simply is no other bourbon out there that is similar. It's flavor profile is singularly different from every other make. In other words, if the Knob were to be discontinued, I might go pick up a couple of bottles for the bunker for posterity's sake. If the Woodford were to be discontinued, I'd be picking up cases.

Excellent thoughts Joe...kind of crystallizes my own experience how I like Knob Creek a lot but tend to get bored with it (even on a second pour) and whereas I drink or buy Woodford less, I then wonder why, when I get it back into my lineup.

[Parkersback]

But, the Woodford's distinctiveness makes it irreplaceable. There simply is no other bourbon out there that is similar. It's flavor profile is singularly different from every other make.

Joe, if you would, I'd love to hear you (or others) say a little more about what you feel are some of the distinctives/idiosyncrasies of WF.

[smokinjoe]

Joe, if you would, I'd love to hear you (or others) say a little more about what you feel are some of the distinctives/idiosyncrasies of WF.

Tom, for me it is the flavor profile of what I would describe as a slightly unripened cantaloupe rind. Others, may negatively describe it as "copper penny". Either way, to my palate I don't detect that characteristic in any other bourbon. It still maintains many of the classic bourbon tells, such as vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, etc. But, those are more muted when compared to many other mainline bourbons. I suspect that the distinctness of WF is derived from the Copper Pot distillation process, and the characteristics that it provides. It's just a "house style" that I find stands out among all of the others. Kind of like Islay scotch. Very different, and probably not for everybody.

[Tucker]

I got to thinking about this again yesterday while sipping on a Woodford Reserve during my flight back to ATL from LA.

Same here, except I was flying back from MDW. I would have been happy with just about anything, and the Woodford hit the spot well enough.

[Enoch]

Taste is purely subjective. I love raw oysters, but most of my friends can't stand to look at them, let alone eat them. I really like WR, and always have a bottle on hand. I have not had the KCSB, sounds like I need to try one.

"It was a brave man who first ate an oyster" -Jonathan Swift