Knob Creek 18 Year Bourbon 30th Anniversary (2022 Release)

It's excellent to see a bourbon line expand as this distillery has done with its other brands. The 12 and 15 year additions were fantastic (especially the 12), and I'm really looking forward to this one. It was pricey, but based on the age statement and the quality of its younger siblings, I felt confident in buying it. Nose: Gala apple/apple pie. Brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Peanut brittle and toasted almond. Fudge, cocoa, and milk chocolate. Black tea and tobacco. Maple. Rye, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak spice. Red ginger. A hint of sawdust and baking soda. Palate: More peanut brittle and toasted almond. Gala apple. Lots of brown sugar with some caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Dried apricot. Pumpkin spice. A peppermint/baking soda note. New couch leather. Carrot cake. Cocoa, black tea, pipe smoke. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, black and white pepper, rye spice, dill pickle, and oak. Finish: Brown sugar, caramel, fudge, vanilla, milk chocolate, and toffee. Pipe smoke, cocoa, and black tea. Rye spice, red ginger, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. A long finish. Very pleasant. This perfectly embodies the classic bourbon profile. It has plenty of sweetness, a good amount of dry fruit, and barrel char and smoke. And, of course, a substantial amount of spice notes. It's not over-oaked, which is a concern for many bourbons at this age. Instead, it has depth and sophistication, beautifully capturing the best elements of this brand's line. This is truly special. I'd say it's comparable to the 12 and better than the 15 in terms of value. This is impressive considering it costs four times the former and nearly double the latter. This was $200, the same price as another bottle I bought. It's at a much higher proof and matches that other bottle for quality. It's amazing, and I'm very happy I managed to get it. This was made to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of this brand, and I'd say it did an excellent job honoring the line. 5/5.

Nose is full of oak, cherry, caramel, vanilla, barrel char, dark chocolate, and baking spices. While that description doesn’t sound that thrilling, there’s a fantastic cohesion here with no one scent standing out above any other. Ethanol nearly non-existent. Oh wow. Palate features layer upon layer of soft sweet oak, along with creme brûlée, orange zest, nutmeg, French vanilla, and flan. Flavors are rich, decadent and well integrated. Once your tongue adjusts to the wood the other flavors really shine. Lengthy finish is a slow morph and features chocolate covered orange slices, cherry, the oak from the palate, charcoal, white pepper, and a hint of allspice. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium and dry as the Sahara desert. A masterclass example of what an ultra aged bourbon can be. While oak is the star AND the co-star, there’s enough of a supporting cast of flavors to keep you from feeling like you are chewing a tree. At the price I paid, this is stupid expensive but I don’t have any regrets as it offers a unique experience with the only other obvious comparison being another specific 18-year bourbon and honestly, this is superior.

The aroma begins assertively with an explosion of floral rye spice alongside hints of burnt wood. As it sits, it rapidly unfolds with leather, black pepper, and traces of stone fruit, molasses, and brown sugar. It's delightful to revisit and quite well-proportioned for its age. The taste is robust and substantial, swiftly reaching the sides of the palate with floral rye and oak. Smooth vanilla then appears, accompanied by brown sugar and caramel, with merely a whisper of fruitiness. The sweetness emerges just as the general sensation starts becoming slightly arid, which in this instance, enhances the overall impression. The conclusion is lengthy and substantial, with a persistent peppery note alongside burnt oak, floral rye, and a hint of smoothness. It remains admirably composed throughout the entire experience, rendering it remarkably mellow despite its 18 years. If anything, it might benefit from a bit more potency, possibly at a higher proof, but as one of the rare bourbons of this age on the market, it's highly enjoyable for everyone.

While the review is available, I wanted to offer more detailed observations. Nose - I find myself repeating this for this particular spirit; the fruit and oak notes are unmistakably Knob Creek. It's impressive how they've managed to make it not just a "Beam" product but clearly part of the Knob Creek family. It presents as lemon/citrus jam mingled with robust oak, slightly dried wood, cured barn leaf tobacco, and rich caramel sweetness, with very little, if any, vanilla. Taste - It mirrors the aroma. Robust oak, strong spices, cinnamon, significant tobacco leaf, rich caramel, some French vanilla, a hint of nuttiness, and increasingly prominent traditional heavy vanilla towards the end. I'm awarding this the same score as the 15, a 3.5. I feel this is an exaggeration. $180 is a bit steep, but it provides enjoyment, offers something a little different, and it's interesting to see such an old age statement.

This is what happens when a certain distillery just lets the barrel cook for 18 years and never checks on it. First sniff is big oak. Like old barn wood, leather, and char. Then it calms down a bit and you get caramel, vanilla, and that peanut characteristic that distillery does. Smells substantial. Smells aged. Smells like you should sit down before drinking it. First sip hits hard. Lots of oak right away, then dark caramel, roasted nuts, and some dry spice. It’s thick, it’s intense, and the finish just does not quit. This is not a casual one more pour bourbon. This is a slow down dummy bourbon. You need a real cigar for this. Full-bodied. A specific cigar, something dark and heavy. Don’t waste a mild cigar on this—it won’t survive. Bottom line, a certain distillery's 18-year offering is bold, oaky, and unapologetic. Great bourbon. Small pours. Bad decisions if you’re not careful.

Initial tasting notes reveal a dark roasted profile of espresso bean, burnt demerara sugar, bitter cocoa, and aged tobacco. To complement these intense notes, softer, warmer hints of salted caramel, praline, toffee, and hot chocolate are found on the palate. The body is medium-light, providing structure without feeling overly thick. The finish is extended, with prominent oak alongside ample milk caramel, candied nuts, and sweet tobacco. The conclusion is dry and definitive. A very well-crafted bourbon; despite its significant age, no element is overpowered by barrel time. Every savory and sweet nuance is allowed to stand out.