Benchmark No. 8 Bourbon

Benchmark No. 8 Bourbon Whiskey
Buffalo Trace Distillery
Age: Minumum 3 Years in New American Oak, No Age Statement given
Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 (Same as Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Stagg and Stagg Jr.)
ABV: 40% (80 Proof)

Buffalo Trace has many different products, all coming from just a few mash bills. Today we have their Benchmark Bourbon, coming from Mash bill #1, the same as standard Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, and a few others. This particular bottle sits on shelves at around $10-15, and definitely is a bottom shelf, bargain bourbon.

Color: Light golden, and very clear. I couldn’t find anything that said whether it was chill filtered or not, this is an extremely clean pour.

Nose: Notes of vanilla, baking spices, and brown sugar all come out right away, with a hint of freshly baked rye bread looming behind the rest of the notes.

Palate: Dark fruits like cherry comes through, accompanied by molasses, and just a hint of rye. It is a mellow sip, not soft, but not a big bourbon.

Finish: Very smooth, not a lot of alcohol, and didn’t stick around very long, but left some definite notes of Rye.

With Water:

Nose: Brown sugar remains, but the rye notes fade entirely.

Palate: Soft and sweet, with a hint of the rye hanging on at the back end.

Finish: Remarkably shorter than the already short finish without any water added.

Ratings and Final Thoughts:
Angela: 86
Zach: 82
Overall: 84

The Benchmark Bourbon is a surprisingly good bourbon, much better than either of us expected at that price point. Definitely one to enjoy neat, any water added really takes away from the flavors this bottle has to offer.