Updated June 2026.
Knob Creek 9 Year is 100 proof / 50% ABV. Buffalo Trace is 90 proof / 45% ABV on current brand pages. A 1.5-ounce Knob Creek pour is 1.25 NIAAA drinks; the same pour of Buffalo Trace is 1.13. They are not the same bourbon. Knob Creek is Beam (Suntory) with a nine-year age statement. Buffalo Trace is Sazerac Mash Bill #1, no age statement. “Better” is not a TTB score.
100 proof is not automatically bottled in bond. Related: Knob Creek, Buffalo Trace, bonded bourbon.
Proof and age are the measurable differences
| Knob Creek 9 Year | Buffalo Trace | |
|---|---|---|
| US proof / ABV | 100 / 50% (brand) | 90 / 45% (brand) |
| 1.5 oz drinks | 1.25 | 1.13 |
| 750 mL drinks | ~21.2 | ~19.0 |
| Age | Labeled 9 years | NAS |
| Owner / plant | Suntory / Clermont | Sazerac / Frankfort |
Four Knob Creek pours are five drinks. Four Buffalo Trace pours are 4.5. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Allocation on Buffalo Trace is real; no 2026 MSRP. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- knobcreek.com 9 Year: Proof 100. buffalotracedistillery.com: Proof 90.
- 27 CFR 5.143. 5.88 bonded is a tighter class than “100 proof.”
- NIAAA December 2025.