Review #570 - Benchmark Full Proof — Me, My Wife & Whisky

Benchmark is one of the budget brands of bourbon produced by the Buffalo Trace distillery. There are a number of variations sold, including a Small Batch, a Single Barrel, a Bonded version, a Top Floor version (an interesting concept), and then this Full Proof bourbon that we're looking at today.

Full Proof refers to the bottling strength, which matches the entry proof when they are first filling the barrels: in this case, 62.5% ABV, or 125 proof. That's the maximum strength allowed for barrel entry proof in the bourbon regulations, but it's also probably the most commonly used in the industry; it's the most economical, as it maximizes the amount of spirit that can be aged in each barrel, which saves on oak costs. Because Buffalo Trace is bottling this bourbon at a consistent strength of 62.5% ABV, we know that the spirit is actually sitting at a higher strength in the barrels at the end of their maturation cycle, and a bit of water is added for bottling.

Buffalo Trace says that this is a bold, robust bourbon - let's find out.

Benchmark Full Proof

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 19 (2025)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 62.5% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 7 months; bottles at 50%, 90%, and 90% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Oaky to start, with subtle caramel and fruits - orange, hints of plum and cherry. There is a bit of youth and a hint of acetone at times; then we get vanilla, soft maple syrup, and Demerara sugar.

Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel; warm, even a bit hot, with some cinnamon spice, peppery oak, and a youthful prickle. In the background, sweet flavors build: brown sugar or caramel, hints of grape and mulled wine, peanut butter. Good viscosity, too.

Finish: Warm and oaky - drying oak, and there's even more fruit now. Soft grape, some tart orange, a little bit sharp. There's a leathery, almost savory character to the oak at times, and we finish with a combination of cardamom and acetone; it's a medium-long finish.

Final Note: Across our tastings, we found quite a bit of batch variation in this bourbon - sometimes it was good, but other times, it came across as hot and unrefined. Like the distillery suggested, this bourbon is quite bold and punchy, with plenty of flavor, but also plenty of heat.

We settled on a rating somewhere in the middle, and while these bottles seem a bit hit-or-miss, the value is very good in general due to the amazing price. It's hard to find near-barrel proof whisky any cheaper than this, especially from a reputable distillery, even if it isn't their highest quality barrels going into the batches.

We would definitely recommend giving this one a try - potentially a great cheap thrill. If the batch doesn't end up being the greatest, it should still hold up well in cocktails with that high proof point.

Our Average Rating: 5.7 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 8.49

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.