Review: Knob Creek's Bourbon X Rye Is A Creative Push For Blended Whiskey

The American blended whiskey category is a fascinating subsection of the greater whiskey market. Outside the U.S., blended whiskies are highly regarded and sought after, while in the states, they tend to be seen in a different, less positive light. Officially defined by the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau), in the U.S., a blended whiskey must include at least 20% straight whiskey, and after that, whiskey of any type or any neutral grain spirit can be added to it to create a blend. Unfortunately, over the years blended whiskies have gotten some bad press for being cheaply made and uninteresting, with a "rare" label and a high price tag, while ultimately being a bottling of leftovers from the distillery room floor.

Despite this reputation, as a category, American blended whiskey has morphed into something far more nuanced; an expression of creativity and experimentation that deserves its flowers. This is why Knob Creek has jumped into the blended whiskey game with its newest expression.

Tapping into the blended whiskey category for the first time, Knob Creek has launched a limited edition Bourbon x Rye Blended Whiskey, bringing together two of its most renowned spirits: rye and bourbon. I had the opportunity to try the Bourbon x Rye at a launch event in New York City, and after sampling this spirit myself, here's my review of this latest, limited edition release.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

A coming together of two of Knob Creek's signature spirits, the Bourbon x Rye is a 70/30 split, with 70% of the blend made up of 7-year old rye, and the other 30% made up of 9-year old bourbon. The blended whiskey is then bottled at 113 proof, a number that Tim Heuisler, small batch brand ambassador for Suntory Spirits, says is no accident. Heuisler notes that the distilling team of Freddie Noe, eighth generation master distiller for Beam/Suntory, and his father, Fred Noe, tasted through a variety of proofs for this blend, and decided that the coming together of sweet and spicy in the bottle worked best at 113, a notably higher proof than the rest of the Knob Creek portfolio, which are typically bottled at 100 proof. 

In addition to offering a higher proof spirit than normal, Knob Creek is going outside the box entirely with Bourbon x Rye, as it is the first blended whiskey to be added to the portfolio. As a brand that has been producing small batch and single barrel whiskies for over three decades, there's a lot to be said for introducing a blended whiskey to the party. Whether this is a sign of serious innovation and unique experimentation, or simply a testing of the waters, remains to be seen. Either way, it's refreshing to see a whiskey brand unafraid of breaking with tradition.

Starting July 17, Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye will be available in liquor stores and from online retailers nationwide. That said, this is not joining Knob Creek's portfolio of core expressions. According to the brand, the Bourbon x Rye is a limited release expression that, while it is fully available now, won't be available for another bottling once the company runs out of bottles to sell.

Regarding price, the Bourbon x Rye is available for a suggested retail price of $44.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle, which falls squarely in line with the rest of Knob Creek's younger aged bourbon and rye varietals. On the larger blended whiskey market, the price point is average, only slightly more than the Jack Daniel's Triple Mash blended whiskey ($39.99), but noticeably less than Brother's Bond American blended rye whiskey ($58.00). Because of its limited release, you may see it for higher prices at your local market. That said if priced at $44.99, this is a blended whiskey that won't break the bank, and with a notable name like Knob Creek on the label, the name recognition may be helpful for the curious consumer looking to add a blended whiskey to their home portfolio.

When talking about a straight bourbon or rye, it's simple to put either in a "how best to drink this" category. However, when you combine them into one liquid, there's more to consider. In the case of Bourbon x Rye, there are two noticeable flavor profiles fighting it out in every sip, with bourbon offering notes of brown sugar, maple, and toasted oak, and rye pushing back with a heavy dose of spice. For the whiskey drinker who prefers a neat pour, regardless of how fierce the spirit is on its own, there's no harm in enjoying Bourbon x Rye straight. I do, however, recommend an ice cube to open the bouquet of aromas and flavors a bit more. That said, with so much intensity and complexity in this spirit, this is far better suited for a well-balanced cocktail.

The classic whiskey cocktails are all on the table for Bourbon x Rye, but there's room for exploration and creativity. To compliment the sweet notes while pushing back against the more fiery and spicy ones, go for a cocktail with a fruity base, like a watermelon sling or a blackberry sage smash. Despite being a whiskey with a pretty high proof, it somehow manages to work beautifully in a drink with a sweeter base, as opposed to something more booze forward. As a result, the Bourbon x Rye adds depth and body to the drink without being overpowering.

Before tasting Bourbon x Rye, it's helpful to know the parts that make up the sum. As a blended whiskey, there are two somewhat competing flavor profiles coming together to create something wonderful in the bottle, and Knob Creek has succeeded in choosing two very different expressions to become one. 

On one side you have 9-year bourbon. Aged in white oak barrels, the flavor is robust and deep, with notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel — an ideal tipple for a sweet tooth. On the other side, however, is a different beast entirely. Knob Creek's 7-year rye is bold and spicy, with notes of black pepper and toffee. In Bourbon x Rye, sweet meets spicy. Delicate meets fiery. But can they play well together in the proverbial sandbox? 

On the nose, the brown sugar, maple, and honey notes in the Bourbon x Rye come in right away; when I closed my eyes and took a healthy inhale, it was like smelling a bowl of freshly popped caramel popcorn. On the palate, there is a lot of depth and weight. This is a full-bodied whiskey with some noticeable spice, but nothing that will burn your taste buds away. Vanilla, toasted almonds, and warm cinnamon linger on the taste buds, with a smooth and slightly fiery finish. At 113 proof, I expected this to be too powerful to taste good, but it's a balanced, slow burn that is just right.

A bourbon and rye blend is a common combination in the whiskey world. In order to get a better idea of how Knob Creek's Bourbon x Rye stands up in the larger market, I put it up against Stoll & Wolfe's Bourbon and Rye Blend. Both are limited release bourbon rye blends.

Starting with the liquid itself, Knob Creek and Stoll & Wolfe differ. While Knob Creek's blend is made up of 70% rye and 30% bourbon, Stoll & Wolfe is 80% a 4-year bourbon, the rest being a 17-month rye. Knob Creek's rye-forward blend ends up being more substantial and spicy, while Stoll & Wolfe's bourbon-heavy blend is lighter, with a sweeter flavor profile. Additionally, Knob Creek has bottled at 113 proof, while Stoll & Wolfe's blend is at 86 proof.

The last major difference between these two blended whiskies is the price point. Knob Creek's Bourbon x Rye comes in at $44.99, while Stoll & Wolfe's Bourbon and Rye blend is recommended for sale at $63.60. While it may not seem like a big price jump, both clearly fall into the below $50 and above $50 categories, respectively. That can be the deal breaker for someone on the hunt for their next blended whiskey. Considering Knob Creek has set a moderate price point for a high proof, limited release blend, it's a much easier justification to add to any home bar.

Blended whiskies are an interesting, albeit misunderstood, category. They have a little more room to spread their wings, offering more flavor, complexity, and character. For both a regular whiskey drinker and the bourbon curious, a blended whiskey can tick all the right boxes regarding flavor and mixability, and when creating the ideal blended whiskey, the name of the game is finding balance. In that respect, Knob Creek nails it, making this a worthwhile spirit for whiskey enthusiasts of all shapes and sizes to stock up on while it's available.

In some ways, Knob Creek has created a new signature style for the blended whiskey category. It is high proof, but from a taste perspective it is not overpowering. Its makeup is primarily rye, but the distillers have managed to find a balance of sweet, spicy, subtle, and bold; it's both flavorful as well as interesting. Bourbon x Rye is a testament to the sum of its parts. The 7-year rye and 9-year bourbon are like two jigsaw puzzle pieces that look different when separated, but lock into each other seamlessly to form a beautiful picture. As the first blended whiskey from Knob Creek, Bourbon x Rye is an example of a bottle not created from leftovers, but with intention. Assuming Knob Creek continues on the path of creativity and experimentation like this, my taste buds and rocks glass are eagerly awaiting what's next.