I don't care about single barrel vs blended. I want something I can find locally at a decent liquor store (no internet sales to WY), tastes good neat, goes down smooth, and is a decent price point. I drink bourbon and other whiskeys to enjoy, not to get drunk. I also don't give a shit about the story behind it, because I'm drinking it and not reading it. I don't taste high price or rarity either, I have a bottle of gifted G.T. Stagg and consider it good, but far from >$500 good and I would never personally buy a bottle. A connoisseur I am not.
My go-to are Jefferson Very Old Very Small, Eagle Rare and Makers 46. Woodford Reserve is okay to me, but only when the previous three are unavailable, and Woodford is easily found, even at gas stations.
Jameson is boozing grade swill from when I was a Sergeant who lived in a bottle. I don't even cook with that shit, that's what Makers Mark is for. Also, you couldn't give me a bottle of Knob Creek, bought it once to give it a whirl, suffered through two fingers and haven't been able to get rid of it after three years of trying. However, it is amusing to give a glass to company and watch their face turn all which ways when they try it.
With regards to your statement of the bottle of Knob Creek.... that is about the sentiment I had 'some years ago' with our first bottle of Blanton's. Now, I realize that they ARE two different things, but, it was so bad that we'd complained to the company after I brought it up here. Because all of the Bourbonologists here said that 'it isn't right'. (How was I to know, it was our first bottle of that stuff,,,,?)
Point being, the company put us in contact with their regional distributor, and we were then asked to bring the bottle to their office, directly. The lady we dealt with was very nice, hospitable, and open to discussion. She gave us a bit of a run-down (as an intro) to what we "should" be tasting. Sort of a 'personal tutorial' as to "how" to taste, as well as "what" to taste, with their particular product.
I was all fine, well, and good with that. I know what I don't know, and that means that I know that I don't know EVERYTHING about Bourbon or the nuances.
She then said: "Let's give yours a taste then, shall we?" She then poured a small amount into 3 separate glasses, set one in front of My Lady and myself, then herself. We both just sat there, and watched her taste hers.
Holy Crap, that moment right there was worth the price of admission. Hoo man, did her face ever change / transform into pure disgust and repulsion!
"THAT'S HORRID..... you can't drink THAT!!!!!"
I then said "so, it's not just us then?"
She took the bottle away, took the glasses away from us, and brought out a new bottle. She asked me to crack it open, to which I did. She brought out new glasses, and first offered us some bottled water to 'flush out our palates'. She then poured from the new bottle, and the heavens shone, the clouds cleared, and the angels sang.
In other words, that was then more along the lines of what we were expecting to begin with. She apologized, and stated that she didn't know what was wrong with our bottle, but it should never have made it to the bottling department, let alone out the warehouse door. She then also gave us a bottle of Buffalo Trace, as well as a steel sign for our bar, of Buffalo Trace.
It was an experience, for sure. The point of all that blathering though, is 'quality control' isn't always Six Sigma.
Considering what you said about your reaction and others too, maybe you want to follow-up on that path? Just a suggestion.
I forgot to add, that up here in Canuckistania the cost of those bottles of Blanton's is in the area of $100.00 so I wasn't about to just 'pour it out'. Ya'lls prices down there are considerably different, but the point is still the same though. Bourbon's are all different, sure. But they shouldn't be THAT different.