Description

Benchmark Bonded

Benchmark Bonded, The Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897 established stringent requirements for bonded whiskey. To achieve those requirements, this 100 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was matured for four years. Take pleasure in the rich flavor and lengthy, silky finish(benchmark bond).

TASTING NOTES(Benchmark Bonded)

A lemon and honey nose is followed by a palate of mild oak, caramel, and vanilla.

Benchmark Bonded is the fifth proof entry in the Benchmark Bourbon range. The brand is named after the McAfee brothers, who surveyed a spot just north of Frankfort in the late 1700s, according to Buffalo Trace. The rye(benchmark small batch) recipe bourbon is yet another label that pays homage to the Distillery’s long history and the area it resides on.” Bonded is Benchmarks’ Bottled in Bond offering, which has met all of the legal requirements(Benchmark Bonded).

To be branded Bottled in Bond, the whiskey must be the result of one distillation season and one distiller at a single distillery, stored for at least four years in a federally bonded storage under U.S. government supervision, and bottled at exactly 100 proof(Benchmark Bonded).

NOSE

The sip begins with distinct aromas of vanilla custard, mixed berry pie, and old oak. With a swirl of the glass and a deep inhale, dashes of cinnamon, baked apple, and  a caramel drizzle emerge. Choosing a more sweet-forward approach is a pleasant way to get things started(benchmark bond).

palate

The nose’s fruit-forward approach gives way to more grounded flavors. The aromas of lightly aged wood, caramel, and leather are immediately apparent. Further exploration yields nutmeg and white peppercorn. Sweeter notes, such as mixed cherry pie and undertones of vanilla, erupt intermittently. Overall, it’s a really wonderful halfway sip, with just the proper amount of earthy undertones and sweet flavors(Benchmark Bonded).

Finish

A surge of subtle peppercorn spice and a hint of rye flavor emerge. These rapidly disappear, revealing dull oak and leather notes. As these aromas fade, a warming spice emerges to counteract the oak note. It’s the least dynamic of the sip’s components, yet it serves as an adequate way to conclude things(benchmark bond).

uniqueness

Benchmark Bourbon goods I’ve examined include Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand Bourbon, Benchmark Top Floor Bourbon, and Benchmark Small Batch Bourbon. While each bourbon has typical characteristics that(benchmark bonded review) are acceptable in any given category, they all have at least one area where they fall short. Each provides(benchmark small batch) a below-average finale, which is shorter, more one-dimensional, and easily forgettable(Benchmark Bonded). Bonded finally overcomes the curse, and while the finish is only ordinary, it is a step better from the rest of Benchmark’s lesser proof portfolio(benchmark bond).

Bonded may stand out among the other Benchmark bottles described above, but its sip tends to blend in with the crowd when compared to the rest of the bottled on bond market. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because Bonded appears to be content with simply meeting the specifications for a bottled in bond bourbon. Whereas Heaven Hill is pushing higher aged bottled in bond bourbons with their premium Old Fitzgerald line, Bonded recognizes its position and doesn’t strive to be anything more than it is.