Knob Creek 12 Year

Nose

A slightly musty charred oak with hints of tobacco leaf and some peanut shells over a backdrop of caramel, not really getting any ethanol. Letting this rest for a bit the sweeter notes come out a bit more, though the nose seems to indicate a more 'savory' palate.

Palate

Sweeter than the nose suggests with a medium, slightly oily mouthfeel. Mainly caramel with a hint of vanilla and a bit of pepper or cinnamon spice on the back end. Chewing brings out a bit of the peanut shell notes.

Finish

A burst of ground black pepper, some peanut shell and dark tobacco leaf with a hint of oak. The tobacco leaf lingers on for quite a bit, giving this a longer than average finish.

Overall

This is a solid offering that is a good mixture of leather/tobacco notes alongside sweeter flavors on the palate, striking a good balance between the sweet caramel notes and the more savory oak, tobacco and peanut notes. I do wish this was a bit higher proof to bring out some more intensity and complexity of the flavors (hoping to try the cask strength version at some point). That is not to say that the flavors here aren't good, I just want more of them. This is not something that I'd actively seek out for my shelf, but if I had an empty spot and this was available I'd pick this up again and I'm happy with my purchase.