Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand Bourbon Whiskey (175cl, 40%)

Benchmark Old No. 8 is a Kentucky straight bourbon, distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort and bottled at 40% ABV in a 75cl-style 750ml bottle. It is made from the distillery's low-rye Mash Bill #1 and matured in new charred American oak. The name looks back to 1773, when the McAfee brothers surveyed the land that became Kentucky and left behind surveyors' marks known as benchmarks. The brand itself was created by Seagram's in the 1960s and passed to Sazerac in 1989. The nose is caramel over a delicate stone-fruit backdrop. The palate is sturdy, with fine leather, dry tobacco, a touch of oak and a hint of dried cherries, leading to a smooth, calming finish.