The Tasting Panel magazine

July 2016

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6  /  the tasting panel  /  july 2016 by Matt Jackson / photos by Dustin Downing If bars were barber shops, the conversation would be endless about the rules, regulations and categorical affiliations of the beverage world. Questions and answers and speculation would abound about what makes what makes a tequila "añejo," or the proper pronunciation of "Meritage." The most popular "bar"ber shop discussion has and always will revolve around what makes bourbon, well, a bourbon. The basics of bourbon-ology, such as a grain bill of at least 51% corn and the mandatory use of new charred oak barrels, are well-known and universally followed throughout the industry. Knob Creek Bourbon, however, stands out among the rest by graciously following the rules while simultaneously pushing the envelope by going above and beyond the accepted standards. Adam Harris, in his fourth year as National Bourbon Ambassador for Beam Suntory, points out, "As an industry we're encouraging people to drink for flavor before age. That said, when a whiskey rests, it gets a full development of flavor." In the case of Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, it has both. What's in the bottle has been aged for a minimum of an impressive nine years, and compared to the myriad of producers that age their straight bourbon to the industry minimum of two years, it's no wonder Knob Creek is getting the attention it deserves. "There's a reason why it was Best Bourbon last year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition [SFWSC]," says Harris. Sweeping the bourbon category is no small feat, as Knob Creek's Kentucky Straight Bourbon also won Best Small-Batch Bourbon in last year's SFWSC. Harkening back to pre-Prohibition styles of bourbon, Knob Creek is bottled at 100 proof rather than the typical 80 proof. This bold expres- sion of bourbon in a widely saturated market surprises the casual con- sumer just as often as the frequent drinker with its unique combination of flavor and drinkability. Harris walks a group of industry women through the range of expressions of Knob Creek Bourbon at Mud Hen Tavern in Los Angeles.

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