Knob Creek Blender's Edition 2026 Review: Worth $55?

Knob Creek Blender's Edition 2026 is a solid, traditional bourbon that could be one of the year's best shelf values. With a 10-year minimum age, 106 proof, and a price around $55 including tax, it gives us plenty to like without chasing a huge proof point.

At a glance

• Release: The first release in what Knob Creek says will be an annual series.
• Age: A minimum of 10 years.
• Proof: 106.
• Price paid: About $55, including tax.
• Ratings: Both of us gave it a double oak on our scale. One of us also considered a blue.

Nose: peanuts, frosting, and a little cherry

We get those classic Beam notes right away: oak and peanuts. The sweeter side brings powdered sugar, caramel frosting, and brown sugar.

A little cherry shows up as we spend more time with the glass. The oak is easy to find, but it never gets overly oaky.

Palate: brown sugar, cherry, and barrel char

This tastes like traditional Knob Creek to us. That familiar nuttiness comes through alongside brown sugar, with cherry sweetness landing in the middle of the sip.

It coats the mouth nicely without feeling heavy. There is also a good barrel-char note, which gives the sweetness some backbone.

At 106 proof, it doesn't come across as a high-proof bruiser. We wouldn't call it a dessert bourbon, either. It has sweet notes, but there's enough bourbon character underneath them to keep the balance.

Finish: toasted sugar and a touch of black pepper

The finish lasts surprisingly long, with a tingle that hangs around the palate. Baking spice arrives toward the back, along with something close to a touch of black pepper.

We described that lingering sweetness a little differently. One of us found the sweetness and spice subtle; the other thought the sweetness was clear, then faded into toasted sugar and toasted oak.

Balanced is a better description than muted. No single flavor takes over, and the finish fades gradually.

Value: the comparison with Knob Creek 12 Year

We would rate Blender's Edition higher closer to the $40 to $45 MSRP range we discussed. We can easily get Knob Creek 12 Year locally for $55. Using $45 as the comparison, that's only a $10 step up, and we would both spend it on the 12-year.

The 12-year tastes smooth and sweet to us without becoming too sweet. Blender's Edition gives us more vanilla and brown sugar by comparison.

Finding this release took more Maryland bourbon hunting than we expected. Not every store had it. We bought ours at Cris'Mont Liquors in Jessup, Maryland, which also had plenty of store picks.

There are plenty of high age statements carrying high prices in 2026. That makes this bottle's combination of age, proof, and price worth a look, even with our preference for the 12-year.

A good fit for fans of vanilla-forward bourbon

If you enjoy the vanilla-forward profiles of Maker's Mark special releases and already like Knob Creek, this could be a good fit. It offers some of those sweeter, dessert-like notes without tasting like a high-rye bourbon.

We think seasoned bourbon drinkers will find enough here to stay interested. Blender's Edition feels comfortable being a good, straightforward bourbon, and that's a big part of its appeal.