Benchmark Full Proof Bourbon (750Ml)

Benchmark Full Proof comes from Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, Kentucky. The name tells you the trick. It goes into the bottle at 125 proof, the same strength it had when it went into the barrel.

Most bourbon gets cut with water before bottling. This one skips that step. It uses Buffalo Trace's Mash Bill #1, a corn-heavy recipe with only a little rye. It is a straight bourbon, about four years old, aged in new charred oak.

Open it and you'll smell caramel, vanilla and charred oak, with brown sugar, a bit of nutmeg and some light fruit. The heat is clear from the first breath. On the palate you get brown sugar, dry oak and a light note of chocolate. Baking spice builds as you go.

The finish is short and hot, with cinnamon, spice and dry oak. At 62.5% it is a lot, so add a cube of ice or a splash of water. That opens up the sweeter notes and tames the burn.

It is also a great value pick for mixing. In an Old Fashioned it keeps its voice even after the ice melts. Other cocktails that need a strong base work well too.

Choose it if you enjoy whiskey with power and a low price. Serve it with BBQ, smoked brisket or a piece of dark chocolate.