Updated April 2026.
Same company, different proofs. Basil Hayden’s US page prints 80 proof / 40% ABV. Knob Creek 9 Year prints 100 proof / 50% ABV with a nine-year age statement. Both are James B. Beam Distilling / Suntory Global Spirits. A 1.5-ounce Basil pour is one NIAAA drink; a Knob Creek pour is 1.25. We will not pick a winner or invent a 2026 MSRP.
100 proof is bonded strength; “100 proof” alone is not bottled-in-bond. Related: Knob Creek, Basil Hayden vs Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam.
Proof is the measurable gap
| Check | Basil Hayden | Knob Creek 9 Year |
|---|---|---|
| US proof | 80 / 40% (brand) | 100 / 50% (brand) |
| 1.5 oz drinks | 1.00 | 1.25 |
| Age | NAS | 9-year statement |
| Campus | Beam / Suntory | Beam / Suntory |
A 750 mL at 40% is about 17 drinks; at 50% about 21. Four Knob Creek pours are five drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Mash-bill percentages are not on the official pages we use. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- Basil Hayden 80 proof — Beam Distilling page (prior fetch). Knob Creek 9 Year 100 proof — knobcreek.com (prior fetch).
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143; 5.88 (bonded ≠ 100 proof alone). NIAAA (December 2025). No 2026 MSRP.