Benchmark Bonded Bourbon (100 Proof)

Nose: grain and caramel with a little vanilla and oak. Taste: like a younger, hotter Buffalo Trace. starts sweet. sweetness fades to an oak and mildly spicy finish.

I’m surprised single barrel is better than this. Caramel and spice nose. Palate is fairly one dimensional. Some nuttiness peaks up and lingers to the finish. It’s okay

100 proof at least 4 years old. Part of the Benchmark Series (Single barrel, Small Batch, Bonded, Full Proof, and Top Floor). Currently only available in Indiana, but will be expanding to other States eventually - per Buffalo Trace. N: Cinnamon, cornbread, brown sugar, and seasoned oak. P: Buttered cornbread, brown sugar, toffee, lemon drops. F: Cornbread and brown sugar linger. Again, a nice buttery mouth feel. Very similar to the small batch and single barrel in this series. Closer to the small batch though. This one holds up a little better than the small batch. I think the proof helps it here, but I prefer the single barrel overall so far. So, far all have had a pretty consistent brown sugar motif throughout. The cornbread goes well with that as well. Not really much more to expound upon here, other then it’s a good value. $17.99 for 750mL.