Benchmark Bonded
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
50% ABV
$20-$23
Website
What the Distillery Says
The Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897 set strict standards for bonded whiskey. This 100 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged four years to meet those standards. Enjoy the rich flavor and long smooth finish.
TASTING NOTES
A nose of citrus and honey follows through on the palate, with a touch of light oak, caramel, and vanilla.
What Gary Says
Nose: Burnt caramel, charred oak, vanilla and tobacco.
Palate: Vanilla, caramel, oak, cinnamon, pepper, hints of orange bitters and anise.
Finish: Short and drying with pepper, oak and vanilla.
Comments: I’m always happy to see more bonded offerings in the bourbon aisle, and this is about what I’d expect. Not objectionable, but also not special – and a tad sharp. Even a bit of water didn’t really do much to tamp the edges. As this is from Buffalo Trace’s mashbill 1 (shared with Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Stagg and others) which has less rye than their mashbill 2, I assume this is aged pretty high up. In a blind side-by-side-by-side against Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch (which is actually $1.5 less) and Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond ($5 less), I liked this the least of the three – finding it just too cutting/sharp and not having as much going on.