The Bourbon Review: McAfee's Benchmark

Originally created by Seagram’s in the 1960’s this was at the time a luxury/premium level bourbon and was known simply as Benchmark. It was purchased by the Sazerac company in 1989 and was reimagined as a bottom shelf whiskey which is where you will most commonly find McAfee’s Benchmark these days.

It’s really an entry level bourbon from the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky alongside the Ancient Age brand which is slightly more expensive at around $15 a bottle.

So as well as demoting Benchmark to the bottom shelf, Sazerac changed the branding to ‘McAfee’s Benchmark’ in an apparent nod to four brothers, James, Robert, George and Samuel McAfee who surveyed 23 parcels of land around Frankfort between 1773 and 1775 where the current Buffalo Trace distillery resides.

Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 (10% or less of rye)

Benchmark is a surveyors term for reference points in topographical surveys and also can mean a standard against which something may be compared or assessed.

Aged 36 months.

McAfee’s Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand (80 proof/40% abv) $11

Nose: Not to much going on initially – corn, light oak, cough medicine and a light cherry note. Cinnamon covered baked apples.

Palate: A very light and thin mouthfeel, no much substance. A touch of oak and clove spice on arrival followed by caramel, vanilla, cornbread and pine…..verging into postage stamp glue towards the end.

Finish: Short with herbaceous green pine notes along with some caramel and mild oak.

Score: 3 out of 10 (A Whiskey Bore!)

Overall: Not as bad as the Evan Williams but not overly enjoyable either, really probably mixer material in either coke or ginger ale and lime.

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