Knob Creek Rye

Following the end of the American Revolutionary War, Johannes Reginald Beam emigrated from Germany to the United States and eventually settled in Kentucky County. At the time, Kentucky County was still considered part of Virginia and was overseen by a military governor named John J. Bowman. After settling in Kentucky, Beam began harvesting corn and set forth a family tradition by distilling the excess grains he harvested into whiskey. Since then, seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the eponymous company (the company is actually named after James Beam, who rescued it following Prohibition).

Knob Creek Bourbon was created by Beam’s grandson, Booker Noe, who after joining the family business in 1950 was promoted to Master Distiller just ten years later. Booker talked like a true Kentuckian and was known for his contagious personality, and through his launch of the “Small Batch Bourbon Collection” — the collection includes Knob Creek as well as Basil Hayden’s, Booker’s and Baker’s bourbons — he is often credited as the father of the small batch bourbon movement.

Knob Creek Bourbon takes its name from the small water source, Knob Creek, that ran through President Abraham Lincoln’s childhood farm. Booker’s vision for Knob Creek Bourbon was that of an honest, quality bourbon that could meet the standards — strength, flavor, care, and patience — of bourbon made before prohibition distressed the industry just decades earlier. Like Abraham Lincoln himself, Booker designed Knob Creek Bourbon, to be honest, unwavering and full of character.

Knob Creek offers a solid core lineup of whiskeys and bourbons, all of which have made the brand one of the most popular labels on the market today. Rye Whiskey has made a huge comeback in the industry in recent years, and Knob Creek’s small batch rye is a hallmark emblem of the resurgence of this born again fermented grain whiskey. With its expansive notes of herbs bold rye and nuanced elements of oak, and undertones of vanilla, it's no wonder that this rye is one of the most renowned whiskeys to date. Although they do not reveal its age statement (instead claiming “aged patiently” on its label), and information about their grain source is also undisclosed (instead stating that they source the “highest-quality rye to create the World’s Best Rye”), this exceptionally nuanced and flavorful whiskey won "Best Rye Worldwide Whiskey" at the 2016 International Wine and Spirits Competition.