Knob Creek Losing 9 Year Old Age Statement

By Richard Thomas

After Elijah Craig 12 Year Old went no age statement (NAS) in January of this year, Knob Creek was left as the only high profile, widely distributed bourbon brand remaining that had an age number on the label. Introduced in the early 1990s as part of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection, Knob Creek soon became a popular expression, even among those who weren’t bourbon fans.

Now Knob Creek joints the other whiskeys that have either lost age statements or seen their proof levels lowered in recent years. Bottles of Knob Creek bearing no age statement will enter circulation starting this week.

In statements, Beam has insisted this was not due to a shortage of stock, as was the case with a six month production stoppage in 2009. Instead, the company maintains that they have a surplus of both younger whiskey and much older whiskey, and they think they can maintain the same flavor profile by blending these stocks.

The move to NAS for Knob Creek leaves Knob Creek Single Barrel unchanged, and that expression will continue as a 9 year old.