Benchmark Old No. 8 Bourbon Review

Buffalo Trace makes a lot of different bourbons but they only have a few mash bills. Age and placement in the warehouses determine the rest. Their #1 mash bill is a low-rye bill (less than 10%) and makes some big names: Eagle Rare, George T. Stagg and Stagg Jr., Colonel E.H. Taylor, the eponymous Buffalo Trace, Old Charter and McAfee’s Benchmark. We’ll be looking at that last one for today’s review.

Benchmark Old No. 8 bourbon was created by Seagram’s in the late 1960s as a luxury brand and was originally named Benchmark Bourbon. It was produced at the Four Roses distillery when Seagram’s owned it. The brand name was purchased by Sazerac in 1992 and McAfee’s was added to the name in honor of the McAfee brothers who surveyed a site just north of Frankfort in the late 1700s.

Sazerac/Buffalo Trace markets it as a cheaper alternative to Jack Daniel’s and it shows in the Old No. 8 on the black label. To me, that’s not selling point, but let’s give it a taste.

BOTTLE DETAILS

Proof: 80

Age: At least 3 years

Year: 2014

How I Drank It:  Neat, in Glencairn whiskey glass.

My Nose Noticed:*  Vanilla | Honey | Orange Peel

First Sip:  Oak | Cherry | Was That Rye?

The Burn:**  Sustained moderate burn. Not overwhelming, looooong.

Neat, Splash or Rocks: I don’t really believe in adding water or ice to an 80 proof bourbon. If you’re going to drink this, drink it neat.

Straight, Old Fashioned or Manhattan: While the cocktails work reasonably well, I like this one straight. As with most 80 proof bourbons, you’ll need less sugar if you’re making an Old Fashioned and less vermouth in your Manhattan.

Share With: Friends. I shared it with some friends after they helped me move a 300 lb. log in my backyard and they liked it.

Worth The Price:  I paid $12.95, which is quite reasonable.

Bottle, Bar or Bust: Bottle, because value.

While I like this, I think it may be my least favorite of Buffalo Trace’s low rye mash bill. But value!