Benchmark Full Proof
Overall Score: 6.75/10
Overall Value: 4.5/5
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Sazerac Company, Inc.
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 125
Age: 4 Years
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Honey
MSRP: $25 (2024)
The Barrel Bros’ Review
The nose of the Benchmark Full Proof opens with classic bourbon sweetness, showcasing caramel, dark chocolate, and brown sugar. Hints of vanilla, Tootsie Roll, and Werther’s Originals round out the profile, with a noticeable 125 proof presence. There’s a subtle richness, evoking vanilla bean ice cream, pie, and a touch of ripe red apple.
On the palate, it offers a dark sweetness with muted flavors of caramel, butterscotch, and coffee. The taste is reminiscent of caramel fudge, though toned down, likely due to the bottle’s budget-friendly price. There’s also a smore-like quality, with smooth dark chocolate, cooked marshmallow, and graham cracker, though the high proof adds a significant burn and slight numbing effect.
The finish is a standout, as the initial burn subsides, allowing the sweetness to shine. You’ll find lingering notes of vanilla wafer and oak, along with a general dark flavor that’s tough to pin down—perhaps chocolate.
Benchmark Full Proof is a solid entry for those wanting to explore high-proof bourbon without the hefty price tag. At an MSRP of around $25, it offers a toned-down version of the flavors you’d find in pricier bottles like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof or Stagg Jr. While it may lack some polish and complexity, it’s a great value for the price and a commendable offering from Buffalo Trace.
If you’re looking for specific notes from our Barrel Bros, read their individual reviews below!
Individual Reviews
The Rye Guy Says
Score: 6.5/10
Value: 4.5/5
THE NOSE:
Brown Sugar and vanilla along with dark red fruits like a ripe red apple.
Mostly sweet with a playful amount of oak. There is a richness to it like vanilla bean ice cream and pie.
This is everything I want a bourbon to smell like!
THE TASTE:
Pretty light mouthfeel with a significant burn to it but it does coat the mouth well. It also has a bit of that numbing effect.
If the proof wasn’t so hot I think the sweetness could really come through.
It tastes like a smore with smooth dark chocolate, cooked marshmallow and graham cracker.
THE FINISH:
I think the finish is actually a standout because the burn from the palate is gone and you can actually pick up on some of the flavors.
The sweetness is able to show up. Mostly a vanilla wafer with a bit of oak.
BUY OR PASS?
If you want the experience of what full proof bourbons are like without spending $50+ dollars this does it exceptionally well. I can’t really think of any other high-proof bottles in this price range.
It’s a very solid offering from Buffalo Trace, but enthusiasts may crave a bit more polish.
The Hunter Says
Score: 7/10
Value: 5/5
THE NOSE:
Caramel, dark chocolate, Tootsie Roll, brown sugar, and vanilla are front and center.
The 125 proof is definitely present. It also has hints of Rolo candy and Werther’s Originals.
THE TASTE:
There's a dark sweetness with flavors of caramel, butterscotch, and coffee—without the bitterness.
It’s like caramel fudge, but the flavors are muted to about 25%, which makes sense for a $25 bottle.
The oak char is there but not overpowering.
THE FINISH:
The nice coating of the mouth remains, leaving a general dark flavor that’s tough to pin down—maybe chocolate?
BUY OR PASS?
This is a solid offering for anyone who loves full-proof whiskey. If you’re a fan of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof or Stagg Jr., you’ll appreciate this one.
Just remember, it’s $25, about a third of the price, and it brings about a third of the flavor power. Everything is toned down, but it's a great value for the price.
