All of that isn't to say that the Benchmark is a slouch though! On the contrary, I was quite surprised that Buffalo Trace didn't try to shove an incomplete, hot mess of a bourbon into the market just to make a cash grab. The final tally shows that this ended up being the case. There wasn't much surprise on this one because I'd expect a bottle that's priced twice as much and aged twice as much to have the better score. I can see this being a daily sipper for those that don't want to think about their bourbon too much, but still enjoy what they're tasting. Cinnamon spice and burnt caramel stand out the most, but this is overall a finish that is very satisfying.įinal Thoughts: Everything seemed very nice on this one! Compared to Glass 1, this one lacks complexity but makes up for it a bit by just being simplistic in its approachability. There are lots of cherries and even some rye spice pops up. If I had to compare this to something non-alcoholic, I'd almost say it tastes like flat Faygo Orange Soda.įinish: The finish is hot, but still approachable. I'm still noting a lack of tannins and oak, but there does seem to be some slight astringent notes present. Palate: Oranges, cherries and raspberries lead the way on this fruit-filled flavor ride. There are brown sugar notes accompanied by shortbread cookies and vanilla. Nose: This glass appears to have more fruit scents than Glass 1. It's only faults are that it misses some complexity and depth. The heat is nice and smoldering, as it should be for 125 proof, but it still has some sweet and enjoyable aftertastes that linger.įinal Thoughts: This is a perfectly good sweet, fruity and oaky bourbon. There's a lingering note of barrel char and leather baseball glove straps that give this some age. The tannins have calmed down from the nose.įinish: The fruit intensifies with some heat that was unrecognized on the palate.
There's also baking spices with cinnamon leading the way with a nice sweetness and oily texture on my tongue. Palate: The orange scent comes through on my tongue in the form of a concentrated orange oil. There's some nice brown sugar sweet scents followed with a volley of tannins that I guess I wasn't expecting: worn leather and seasoned oak. Nose: Caramel candies straight from the wrapper, orange and cherry scents with vanilla custard. I sampled these both neat and in a glencairn. I decided a semi-blind comparison was in order, so let's dive in. Speaking of price, how about that $20 pricetag for the top label of the lineup? I guarantee that everyone is going to be grabbing these up for their liquor cabinets if only because it will be the cheapest and easiest "vertical" to obtain today.Īs I often do, I decided to pit together these two siblings and see if the new Benchmark is a match for 1792's Full Proof label and if it's not, then how close does it come? After all, this may become one of the years hottest buys as it begins to hit shelves nationwide. While 1792's Full Proof was verbally said to be made up of 8 year old barrels (according to an early press release), we can probably be assured Benchmark's Full Proof version is much younger if for the simple fact that it is half the price of the 1792 label ($20 vs $40). Together, they both use a ryed bourbon mashbill and are bottled at 125 proof, which is the same proof they entered the barrel at. Thus, 5 new labels were born: Small Batch (90 proof), Top Floor (92.5 proof), Single Barrel (95 proof), Bottled-in-Bond (at least we have an age statement and 100 proof!) and the top rung "Full Proof." One of the most recognizable Full Proof products before this one is ironically produced by Barton's 1792 brand (both are owned by Sazerac).
But Buffalo Trace, not being content until they're the best at everything, decided that they needed to corner the bottom shelf market even more by introducing new expressions of this lowly shelf turd by invigorating some age and proof into the mix. For years, Benchmark wore no age statement and was watered down to a measly 80 proof. In August of this year, Buffalo Trace quietly released a revamped lineup of their bottom-shelf staple, Benchmark Bourbon. Texacer's Guide to Tasting/Nosing/Reviewing Helpful Stuffīeginner's and Intermediate Guide to Bourbon As well as any news articles or bourbon related internet things. R/Whisky r/WorldWhisky r/Scotch /r/Whiskyporn Whisky Network GuideĪll Discussions and Reviews of Bourbon, Rye, and/or any American Whiskey are welcome and encouraged(yes, even Jack).
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