New Knob Creek Bourbon Partially Finished In Quarter Oak Casks

The Knob Creek brand, part of the premium level of American whiskeys from Beam Suntory, has been in existence for some 25 years, having first been introduced to the marketplace by founding distiller Booker Noe in 1992. Variants on the flagship bourbon once in a rare while come to market, and a new limited edition release builds upon the core offering by exploring a secondary finishing approach using quarter cask oak barrels.

The new Knob Creek Quarter Cask, according to those behind it, “explores and deepens the influence of oak” on the regular whiskey. To that end it is finished “for a minimum of four years in quarter cask, American oak barrels to increase the amount of contact between the whiskey and wood. A small amount of this unique, secondarily finished whiskey – which delivers richer notes of oak – is then mingled” with the normal bourbon to create the final product.

“When Dad created Knob Creek in the early 90s, he wanted to bring back the big, bold flavors that bourbon offered before the days of Prohibition,” said Fred Noe, Booker’s son and Beam Family 7th generation master distiller, in a prepared statement. “Dad loved to experiment in his quest for flavor, and I like to think we carry on that same spirit today with releases like this. Finishing our full-flavored liquid in quarter casks delivers a really nice, deepened wood flavor to the bourbon our fans enjoy.”

As it stands now plans call for Knob Creek Quarter Cask to have a nationwide release at a bottling strength of 100 proof and a price point of around $50 per 750 ml bottle. You’ll find some limited official tasting notes and a suggested cocktail below for your consideration.

• Color: Dark Honey
• Aroma: A nice blend of brown sweets, char and toasted oak with hints of dried fruits
• Taste: Sweet, heavy oak with background notes of char, dried fruits and brown spices
• Finish: Slightly sweet charred oak with a lingering dryness
• Cocktail Suggestion: Knob Creek Quarter Oak Collins
  • INGREDIENTS:
    • 2 parts Knob Creek Quarter Oak
    • 1 part simple syrup
    • ¾ part lemon juice
    • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
    • 1 part soda water
• METHOD:
  • Combine all ingredients except soda water into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 10-15 seconds until well chilled. Separate tins and add a splash of soda water into the cocktail. Top the tin with a strainer and strain slowly into a Collins glass filled with ice.
  • Garnish with a lemon wheel and brandied cherries.