Knob Creek 2001

[amg]

Anyone actually tasted the stuff yet? I've yet to see a review or any notes.

[jaxn slim]

It landed here in Houston this week. I passed when I first saw it but bit on the 2nd encounter. Won't have a chance to try it for a week or two, unfortunately.

[JDSmith619]

Just grabbed one, will try tonight or tomorrow.  $123 here in KC

[JoeTerp]

Supposedly Virginia got 300 bottles, but has yet to release them (They've also been sitting on Stagg Jr Batch 6, Barterhouse, and Forged Oak for a while).

[dcbt]

Do we have any idea when this stuff was tanked?  (I'm assuming it was tanked since they put the distillation year instead of the age on the bottle.)  How much older than the regular KC is this, do we have any clue?

Edited May 12, 2016 by dcbt

[starhopper]

1 hour ago, dcbt said:

Do we have any idea when this stuff was tanked?  (I'm assuming it was tanked since they put the distillation year instead of the age on the bottle.)  How much older than the regular KC is this, do we have any clue?

Yeah, they're sneaky that way.  We ASSUME it's 15 years but you cannot assume anything unless it STATES the age on the bottle!

[fishnbowljoe]

9 hours ago, dcbt said:

Do we have any idea when this stuff was tanked?  (I'm assuming it was tanked since they put the distillation year instead of the age on the bottle.)  How much older than the regular KC is this, do we have any clue?

 

IIRC, regular KC is 9 years old. 

[JoeTerp]

14 hours ago, starhopper said:

Yeah, they're sneaky that way.  We ASSUME it's 15 years but you cannot assume anything unless it STATES the age on the bottle!

My guess is that it's not tanked, but it wasn't barreled until later in the year 2001, so it's really a 14 year old but by putting 2001 on the label it seems like a 15 year old.

[meadeweber]

Our local county website has it set up as a 14 year but I'm not sure they are any kind of authority on the matter.

[Kyjd75]

23 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

 

IIRC, regular KC is 9 years old. 

I was in the KC warehouse a few months ago, and there were lots of barrels 10-11 years old in there.  I would guess that regular KC has some of that juice dumped when they are producing their "small" batch.  (with Beam small batch is a deceptive term sometimes).

[tanstaafl2]

Missed out in participating in a store pick for Knob Creek last week because I was out of town but the report indicted several barrels were well over 10yo including at least one reported to be 14yo (which was one of two selected).  Surprised that one that age was available but maybe it didn't fit the profile? In any case the guys that did the picks liked it so I believe I will hold out for that one at probably a third of the cost of the KC 2001!

[Trey Manthey]

Man, now those bottles of 13 year private selection KCSB seem like a great value at $33!

[vismatt]

Just picked up a bottle for $116, but haven't tried it yet.  Just checked the secondary market and it is already listed for $200 and up.  Crazy.

[$helby]

I got a bottle of batch 3 today from a NCABC store.   Will open tomorrow and post my notes this weekend.   

[The Black Tot]

On 5/11/2016 at 3:16 PM, jaxn slim said:

It landed here in Houston this week. I passed when I first saw it but bit on the 2nd encounter. Won't have a chance to try it for a week or two, unfortunately.

Jaxn, I probably know your peeps

 

Ain't competin' with you for $139 KC, but maybe we should have a drink together. PM me.

[MTNBourbon]

Went looking for some a couple of days ago, none to be found. I would not doubt it, but if/when it shows up I'm pretty sure it will be more than $150 a bottle. That's one thing good about Utah, their prices are not usually marked up that bad.

[Flyfish]

On 5/13/2016 at 5:07 PM, tanstaafl2 said:

Missed out in participating in a store pick for Knob Creek last week because I was out of town but the report indicted several barrels were well over 10yo including at least one reported to be 14yo (which was one of two selected).  Surprised that one that age was available but maybe it didn't fit the profile? 

I'm having trouble with the concept of the profile of a 9YO that is kept until it is 14 or more. Same issue as I had with EC12 and EC18. (Never had any EC20+). It seems to me that the extra years transform the bourbon into something quite different from its younger brother. See also Stagg Jr compared to Sr. My surname is the same as that of an Academy Award winning song writer and founder of a major record label. But that is all we have in common. KC120 is clearly KC kicked up a notch but to what extent is KC 2001 related to good ol' KC?

[flahute]

44 minutes ago, Flyfish said:

I'm having trouble with the concept of the profile of a 9YO that is kept until it is 14 or more. Same issue as I had with EC12 and EC18. (Never had any EC20+). It seems to me that the extra years transform the bourbon into something quite different from its younger brother. See also Stagg Jr compared to Sr. My surname is the same as that of an Academy Award winning song writer and founder of a major record label. But that is all we have in common. KC120 is clearly KC kicked up a notch but to what extent is KC 2001 related to good ol' KC?

They didn't do it on purpose and didn't know what to do with these barrels for some time. When they started throwing older barrels into the mix for single barrel picks, people liked them because they were different. I have a bottle of a 12 yr old single barrel pick and it is notably different to my palate. 

[smokinjoe]

FWIW, there is a card in the box that gives the story of the brand, and refers to it as over 14 years of age.

[JoeTerp]

This one was pretty easy to get in Virginia.  They opened online ordering on Thursday and it looks like it's still available.  

[Hop]

Bought this last week and tried it last night - my notes were: Over Oaked, bitter, and not much finish.  Going to try it "blind" in comparison to the standard 9 yr KC but fully expect to prefer the standard to the 2001

 

I'd say "lesson learned" on the specialty releases but I don't seem to be able to resist the buying/trying...

 

FYI this was Batch 3

[tanstaafl2]

Interesting. I did not realize there were three batches. For some reason I was thinking there were only two.

 

Interesting that one blogger from Jacksonville noted that he has all three batches in his area  (Jacksonville, FL) and that

 

"It will be released in three limited batches, each accentuating distinct notes of the 14-year-old liquid"

 

So in addition to not releasing them at barrel proof and grossly overpricing them they want to try to entice us to buy all three. If it works score one for the marketing department I suppose. I took the bait for two because I wanted to compare them but that is enough (well, really way too much in retrospect) for me.

 

Haven't looked that hard but have only seen Batch 1 in Atlanta. I wonder if the cases are mixed?

 

I am curious though, has anyone else in Atlanta seen different batches?

[Gillman]

The buzz in informed circles here is the current KCSB is 14 years old, it sure tastes it based on a bottle I got recently from LCBO. I mentioned this in another thread a month ago or so. What I liked is, the Beam "funky yeast" taste is completely gone, aged out I guess. It's very good.

 

So this news fits in with that I think.

 

Gary

[Jazz Nut]

Hi All, I was meeting some friends for dinner last night and decided to kill some time at a liquor store across the street, and they had 4 bottles of Batch #1, and given what the tasting notes said about each batch, I figured this would be probably my only chance to get Batch #1.

 

With that said, I was not exactly hunting it out, but given the circumstances, I bought 2 bottles, and left 2 for someone else.  Upon initially opening the bottle and pouring two ounces into a Glencairn, I was greeted by oak, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel---thin mouthfeel, but not astringent.  Medium to short finish, rather hot for 100 proof.

 

Again, this is first impressions, and will be having a bit more this evening.  I am hoping it gets better, because at this point, I paid too much at $149.  I might even open up a bottle of Knob Creek store selection to compare.  I have a feeling they won't be far off.  I'll report back later today.

 

Glad to say, IMHO, this does not have the "Beam Funk" of JBW, JBB, and even in some batches of Booker's.

[Gillman]

On May 28, 2016 at 11:25 AM, Flyfish said:

I'm having trouble with the concept of the profile of a 9YO that is kept until it is 14 or more. Same issue as I had with EC12 and EC18. (Never had any EC20+). It seems to me that the extra years transform the bourbon into something quite different from its younger brother. See also Stagg Jr compared to Sr. My surname is the same as that of an Academy Award winning song writer and founder of a major record label. But that is all we have in common. KC120 is clearly KC kicked up a notch but to what extent is KC 2001 related to good ol' KC?

 

The current 120 is 14 years old, that is what I'm saying. I was told this by sources I trust. Plus it tastes like it. It isn't quite like KC, I agree: it's better.

 

Gary