LERMONT, Ky., Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the 2025-2026 football season reaches its pinnacle, Knob Creek®, the founding spirit of the James B. Beam Small Batch Bourbon Collection™ and a leader in American Whiskey, announces its second limited-edition barrel release, Knob Creek® Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon, Eli Manning’s Bold Pick: 2026 Batch. Available nationwide, the special edition rounds out its season-long partnership with the legendary quarterback.
Hand-selected by Manning at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, KY, this unique cask-strength expression is bottled straight from the barrel, with proofs ranging from 112.2 to 121.6, unfiltered and uncut. The result is a bold, robust bourbon that opens with flavors of rich vanilla and toasted oak, unfolds into layers of roasted nuts and warm spice, and finishes with a long, full-bodied warmth. A true expression of Knob Creek®‘s signature depth and intensity, it’s crafted to be savored during the season’s biggest game-day moments – whether celebrating a fantasy championship or cheering on a team through the final stretch.
“Football teams are built on trust – trusting your picks, your preparation, and your instincts, whether you’re on the field or managing your fantasy lineup,” said Freddie Noe, eighth generation master distiller. “That same mindset guides how we make bourbon. Working with Eli last year set a high bar and bringing him back this season raised it. We put some of our finest barrels in front of him, and this one stood out right away. Bottled at cask strength, it delivers more intensity and more flavor – a full-bodied bourbon built for game day.”
What began as fantasy football advice rooted in making bold calls and trusting one’s gut has grown into a celebration of seeing hard work pay off. Throughout the season and continuing through the postseason, Knob Creek and Eli Manning are continuing to share bold picks on the biggest matchups and ways to celebrate – from hosting the perfect watch party to raising a glass with Eli’s Gameday Old Fashioned, best crafted with the 2026 Batch.
“At this point in the season, you’ve made your calls, and it’s now about seeing them through,” said Eli Manning. “Hand-picking this barrel was a bold pick of its own – balanced, uncompromising, and full of character. It held up every time I came back to it, and that’s exactly what I expect from Knob Creek® when it counts most: a bourbon worthy of the biggest moments.”
Crafted to be part of game-day rituals – gathering, watching, and raising a glass together – Knob Creek® Eli Manning’s Bold Pick: 2026 Batch is available nationwide for a limited time at a suggested retail price of $69.99 (750mL).
For more information about Knob Creek® Bold Picks campaign and Knob Creek’s® award-winning* bourbon and rye portfolios, visit https://www.knobcreek.com/news/bold-picks .
About Knob Creek® Bourbon
Knob Creek® has set the standard for super-premium whiskey for three decades by crafting extraordinary, full-flavored bourbon with a rich taste. Knob Creek® bourbons and ryes are patiently aged to perfection in new, maximum charred American Oak barrels to impart the biggest and fullest flavor on their whiskey. No matter the expression, Knob Creek® is crafted without shortcuts and embodies the pre-Prohibition style that founding distiller Booker Noe created in 1992. Since then, Knob Creek® has lived up to such standards with the introduction of Knob Creek® Straight Rye Whiskey in 2012, and later on, Knob Creek® Single Barrel Select Rye Whiskey. In recent years, Knob Creek® announced the permanent addition of Knob Creek® 12 Year Old Bourbon and launched four limited releases, Knob Creek® 15 Year Old Bourbon, Knob Creek® 18 Year Old Bourbon, Knob Creek® Bourbon x Rye, and Knob Creek® 21 Year Old Bourbon. Knob Creek has continued to build out its rye portfolio; the brand announced the addition of an age statement to its flagship rye whiskey, Knob Creek® 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey, and released Knob Creek® 10 Year Old Rye Whiskey.
