About the product
Knob Creek Eli Manning’s Bold Pick: 2026 Batch Bourbon is a limited-edition, single barrel Kentucky straight bourbon built around intensity, structure, and character. Hand-selected by Eli Manning in collaboration with Knob Creek, this release leans fully into a bold, no-compromise style.
Bottled at cask strength, it is left uncut and unfiltered, preserving the whiskey exactly as it matured in the barrel. Typically aged around 9 years and sitting well above standard proof, it delivers a dense, full-bodied profile that reflects Knob Creek’s signature approach: rich oak influence, deep sweetness, and a powerful backbone.
On the nose, it opens with pronounced vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak, layered with hints of brown sugar and subtle char. The palate follows with intensity, offering caramelized nuts, dark fruit, baking spices, and a firm oak structure that builds with each sip. The finish is long, warm, and slightly peppery, leaving behind a lingering mix of sweetness and spice.
This is not a soft or easy-drinking bourbon. It is designed to stand out, to be remembered, and to reward those who appreciate high-proof, barrel-driven whiskey. A strong choice for collectors and enthusiasts who want something bold, expressive, and unapologetically powerful.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairings
An immediate rush of toasted oak and rich caramel, followed by the signature "Beam" scent of roasted peanuts, dark cocoa, and a hint of pipe tobacco.
A massive, oily mouthfeel that coats the palate. Initial notes of burnt sugar and vanilla bean give way to an explosive mid-palate of rye spice, black pepper, and cinnamon-dusted leather.
About the brand
Knob Creek is part of the original small batch bourbon movement, created to bring back the depth, strength, and full flavor that defined pre-Prohibition American whiskey. Launched in 1992 under the guidance of master distiller Booker Noe, a sixth-generation distiller from the Beam family, the brand was built as a response to lighter, diluted bourbons that dominated the market at the time.
Produced in Kentucky at the historic Jim Beam Distillery, Knob Creek quickly established itself as a benchmark for bold, high-proof whiskey. Its identity is rooted in longer aging, deep charred oak influence, and a commitment to richer, more intense flavor profiles compared to standard bourbons.
The name “Knob Creek” itself is a tribute to the small stream that ran through Abraham Lincoln’s childhood farm, reinforcing the brand’s connection to American heritage and tradition. This sense of legacy is central to everything the brand produces: whiskey that is not rushed, not softened, and not simplified.
Today, Knob Creek sits within the premium small batch category, offering a range of expressions including single barrel, rye, and age-stated releases. Across all of them, the core philosophy remains unchanged: full-bodied, oak-forward bourbon made with patience, precision, and a clear intention to stand apart from lighter, mass-market styles.
