![]() ![]() Before we start sniffing this thing, how much is it going to set you back, Brad?īrad: This is, I think, the most expensive of the lineup at $25. That's my issue with it.īob: I'm ready to dive in. There's always some good ones, like Russell's Reserve is always really good at 110 proof or whatever that one might be.īrad: But it feels like 95 is a long way off from wherever this barrel was. I don't mean to be a barrel-strength snob about it. I just don't understand single barrels that don't release at barrel strength. Now we're getting into Single Barrel, where some of the rougher edges of a barrel may not be rounded out as much by blending.įinally, they're cutting it down to 95 proof. We don't typically like single barrels for the purposes of reviews, and that's because whatever you pick up on the shelf, dear reader, is going to be different from the barrel that we're currently drinking.Īnd after last week, we were split, because you liked the Small Batch more than I did. Like, Elijah Craig, I think, is 94 proof, but we've never seen right in between 90 and 100. I think this is the first time I've ever seen “95 proof” on something, Brad. We started at 86 proof, we moved to 90 last week with the small batch, and now we're at 95 proof. The following review is taken from our episode " Gran Torino/Benchmark Single Barrel." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format.īrad: Alright everybody, today we are drinking Benchmark Single Barrel, a 95-proof whiskey in this lineup of five that we've been drinking the last few weeks.īob: Yeah, we are slowly moving up in proof point. After last week's Benchmark Small Batch let us down, we're hoping the brand can rebound in a big way this week. Make no mistake that it’s nowhere near the best bottled in bond product currently on the market, however for what it is, Bonded is an excellent value in today’s marketplace.Today, we're reviewing Benchmark Single Barrel, the third whiskey in the new collection of special-edition bourbons bearing the Benchmark name. Where some like Heaven HIll have decided to move from offering their value-based Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond to their more premium Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled in Bond, it’s nice to see Sazerac still provides consumers with an affordable option. In this case, Bonded not only provides a great value to consumers, but it also delivers a good sip for the price. Now just because a bourbon is priced well compared to its peers, doesn’t automatically make it a great value. That’s a pretty small club that Bonded joins. However, if you’re willing to dig into your wallet and pull out another $5, thankfully more options open up in the form of Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Jim Beam Old Tub Bourbon, Early Times Bottled in Bond Bourbon, and Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon. Dant Bottled in Bond Bourbon, and J.T.S Brown Bottled in Bond Bourbon as the only other bottled in bond bottles from a major Kentucky distillery for $20 or less. It joins Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, J.W. The value category of $20 and under bottled in bond bourbons is headed towards becoming extinct, which is why it's so refreshing to see Benchmark Bonded carry the price tag it does. Whereas others such as Heaven Hill are pushing higher aged bottled in bond bourbons in the form of their premium Old Fitzgerald line, Bonded knows its place, and doesn’t try to be anything more than it is. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since Bonded seems to be content to just meet the minimum requirements to be a bottled in bond bourbon. Bonded may stand out among the rest of the Benchmark bottles mentioned above, however, compared to the rest of the bottled in bond market, its sip tends to blend in with the crowd. Bonded finally breaks that curse, and while the finish is just average, it at least is a step up compared to the rest of the Benchmark lower proof lineup. Specifically, each offers a below-average finish, which are on the shorter side, more one-dimensional, and easily forgettable. ![]() While each bourbon has average traits that are pleasing enough in any given category, they also each have at least one area in which they fall short in. 8 Brand Bourbon, Benchmark Top Floor Bourbon, and Benchmark Small Batch Bourbon. I’ve reviewed a number of Benchmark Bourbon products, including Benchmark Old No.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |