By Richard Thomas
Rating: B-
(Credit: Sazerac)
The Benchmark line was seemingly remade to check-mark all the boxes for how one can take the same basic stock of bourbon and bottle it, so naturally there is a single barrel version. The line starts with Benchmark Old No. 8, goes all the way to this single barrel expression, and covers more or less all iterations in between. Compared to the rest of the Benchmark line, this comes in at 95 proof and the same approximately four years old (although there isn’t an age statement, that age can be deduced for statutory reasons) shared by all but the entry level rung in this line, the aforementioned Old No. 8.
Although Buffalo Trace Distillery is associated with the single barrel concept and has been since 1985, here is an interesting quirk about that fact and Benchmark Single Barrel: this is the only single barrel expression from Buffalo Trace that is accessible. Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, Taylor Single Barrel and Weller Single Barrel have all been hunted to death by fevered bourbon nerds, leaving just this. Although not exactly common, if you do find it you should at least pay MSRP.
The Bourbon
The nose led with muted citrus zest, followed by cookies spices in brown sugar and vanilla. Behind that came a flavor profile of cookies spices, brown sugar and caramel, with a dry and moderately spicy finish. All in all, it’s pretty benchmark for bourbon (pardon the bad pun).
The Price
Benchmark Single Barrel is supposed to be priced at $25, and a survey of online retailers revealed it was not priced above $35 anywhere listing it.
