The Best Alternative to Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Bottle purchased at retail.

AT A GLANCE

• Spirit: Benchmark Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

• Owned by: Sazerac Company

• Distilled and Bottled by: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

• Spirit Type: Bourbon

• Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 (10% or less Rye)

• Still Type: Column Still

• Aged: NAS (minimum 4 years)

• Strength: 50% ABV

• Price: $20

If you cannot find Buffalo Trace Bourbon in your area, it sells out as soon as it hits liquor store shelves, or you are tired of paying over $30 for this once entry level bourbon, Benchmark Bonded Bourbon is the best alternative out in the market.

Ten years ago, Buffalo Trace Bourbon was easy to find and usually under $20 a bottle. At that time it came in second in a blind tasting I organized for so friends of mine. But, as the craze for Pappy and other older whiskeys from Buffalo Trace Distillery grew, it became harder to find a bottle and more expensive when you did. So, if you are a fan Buffalo Trace but cannot get your hands on it, you need to look for Benchmark Bonded.

Today, Benchmark is named after the survey markers placed by the McAfee brothers who were some of the earliest colonial settlers in Kentucky. When they reached the region north of where Frankfort would be founded, they discovered large numbers of elk, deer and buffalos. The area became known as buffalo trace, a migration route used by the buffalo as they moved through Kentucky. The brand was originally distilled in Louisville, and created by Seagram's in the 1960 as a premium bourbon sold in decanters. The association with the McAfee brothers was added sometime after 1989, when Seagram's sold the brand to Sazerac Company. For many years Benchmark held on as a value brand, sold primarily as McAfee's Benchmark Old No. 8. But in 2019, Sazerac decided to expand the Benchmark line to include five new expressions: the Small Batch (45% ABV), Top Floor (43% ABV), Single Barrel (47.5% ABV), Bonded (50% ABV), and Full Proof (62.5% ABV). I suspect that this expansion was a way for Sazerac to maintain the quality and particular barrel selection process they had for Buffalo Trance while also increasing the supply of a more affordable version of their bourbon.

TASTING NOTEs

Nose: On the nose there are light notes of oak, cream corn, and a hint of vanilla.

Palate: On the palate the bourbon begins sweet with notes of vanilla and then transitions to a more complex flavor of sweetened ice tea and peaches.

Finish: On the finish the whiskey is relatively long with flavors of ripe plum, canned peaches (without the syrup) vanilla and oak.

Conclusion: Benchmark Bonded is a solid bourbon that is great as an everyday whiskey for when you want something enjoyable while your attention is focused doing something else like cooking or spending time with friends or family. It is not the most complex whiskey but at 4 years old and 100 proof this a perfect budget pour for drinking neat, on the rocks, with water, with mixers, or as a cocktail. As Buffalo Trace has crept up in price and gotten more difficult to find on a regular basis, Benchmark Bonded is the best alternative you can find.

Review: Blackland Bourbon

Sample bottle provided by Blackland Distillery

AT A GLANCE

• Owned, Blended and Bottled by: Blackland Distillery, Fort Worth, Texas

• Spirit Type: Bourbon

• Mash Bill: Wheated bourbon

• Still Type: Pot Still

• Aged: 70% aged 2 years, 30% 4 years

• Strength: 41.5% ABV

• Price: $48

Named for the Blackland Prairie, Markus Kypreos founded Blackland Distillery in 2015, after 15 years of practicing law in Fort Worth, TX. Looking to take a more modern approach to distilling spirits, Kypreos and his head distiller Ezra Cox use an automated iStill distilling system that has created numerous award-winning spirits around the world. Currently, Blackland is distilling their vodka and gin from Texas grown wheat and as well as making bourbon and rye whiskey. The bourbon is distilled from a wheated bourbon mash and then aged in a variety of barrels sizes, which are then vatted to achieve their target flavor profile. According to Blackland, they were supplementing their in-house whiskeys with sourced whiskey from Minnesota though they expect to transition to 100% Texas distilled and aged stock.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose has a nice aroma of sweet cherries and fresh peaches with just a touch of vanilla underlying oak notes.

Palate: On the palate the bourbon is light, and flavors of peach and nectarine combine with soft notes of vanilla, oak, and a touch of spearmint.

Finish: Fruitiness carries through on the finish with notes of real peach iced tea, a hint of brown sugar and enough oak tannins to balance the sweetness.

Conclusion: Overall, this is a light and fruity bourbon that is easy to drink and would make a refreshing summertime tipple either served on the rocks, in a highball, or in a Texas Grog. Blackland Bourbon Whiskey makes me believe that we can expect more good things from this Fort Worth distillery and it is a testament of how the Texas climate can make young whiskey sip beyond its age.

Review: New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Bottled in Bond

Sample bottle provided by New Riff Distilling

AT A GLANCE

• Owned, Distilled and Bottled by: New Riff Distilling

• Spirit Type: Bourbon

• Mash Bill: non-GMO- 65% Corn,30% Rye, 5% Malted Barley

• Still Type: Column Still

• Aged: 4 years in 53-gallon toasted and charred new oak barrels

• Strength: 50% ABV

• Price: $42

Ken Lewis, a Kentucky liquor retailer founded New Riff Distilling in 2014, to create a new expression of sour mashed, bottled in bond Kentucky straight bourbon and rye with out chill filtration. Because New Riff is family run it allows them the flexibility to place the pursuit of excellent whiskey over pure commercial success.

Their bourbon is distilled from a high-rye bourbon mash, which is aged for a minimum of four years and bottled in bond.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The whiskey has as nice aroma of oak, vanilla, cinnamon, followed by light fruit notes like pomegranate and sweet cherries.

Palate: On the palate the whiskey is light on the tongue and has a wonderful flavor of caramel, red apple, oak and a touch of spice both from the rye and from the barrel.

Finish: On the finish there is a slight bitterness from the oak tannins, that fades into a soft and sweet sensation of baking spice and vanilla.

Conclusion: New Riff is an excellent whiskey with a classic bourbon profile that is sure to make any fan of the spirit happy to add it to their liquor cabinet. If you do not mind a little heat, drink neat, otherwise it will work well on the rocks or in a number of cocktails such as an old fashioned or manhattan.

Review: Ron Zacapa Centenario 23

Bottle purchased by EZdrinking

At a Glance

• Distilled and Owned by: Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala

• Still Type: Column Still

• Spirit Type: Colum Distilled Rum

• Age Statement: NAS

• Added Sugar: 15g/liter

• Strength: 40% ABV

• Price: $38-$45

Tasting Notes

Nose: On the nose there are sweet aromas of sugar cane, chocolate milk, and vanilla.

Palate: On the palate the rum tastes of milk chocolate and caramel, similar to Rolos. The rum is sweet and soft on the palate with full body.

Finish: On the finish there is a lingering sweetness that tastes fruity like stewed apples and vanilla. The rum has a smooth and long finish of milk chocolate and caramel with zero heat from the alcohol. Then at the very end there is a hint of oak the is otherwise dominated by sweetness.

Conclusion: Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 is a very sweet and easy drinking rum largely due to being column distilled and getting a decent dose of added sugar. While older bottles seemed to imply the rum was 23 years old, they have since clarified that the rum is a blend of various ages from their solera system. With 15g per liter of added sugar it is no surprise that it is so sweet but, it is definitely more balanced than others in this category. If you like sweeter rums with notes of chocolate and vanilla then this will be a hit. However, if you are looking for more expressive rums similar to those of Jamaica or Barbados then Zacapa 23 will not meet your expectations.

Review: Modern Ancient Grains Project Bolita Belatove Oaxacan Pink Corn Whiskey

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Free sample bottled provided by Workhorse Rye. Photo by Rob Easter

AT A GLANCe

• Owned by: Workhorse Rye

• Distilled at: Sutherland Distilling Co. in Livermore, CA

• Still Type: Hybrid Still

• Spirit Type: Corn Whiskey

• Age Statement: NAS

• Strength: 50%ABV

• Price: ~$44 (375ml) from Modern Ancient Grains Project

The Modern Ancient Grains Project is a product of the experience and ethic of Rob Easter, distiller and owner of Workhorse Rye. For this bottling Easter used 100% Bolita Belatove pink corn to make this whiskey. Bolita Belatove is grown in the central valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico, and just six years ago it was in danger of going extinct. However, interest from high end restaurants and epicureans have helped to sustain this beautiful variety of corn. In Zapotec belatove is the name for the maguey worm (technically a caterpillar) that lives off agave plants. It is not know why the corn and worm share this name but it might have something to do with their similar hue.

One of the standard refrains of conventional bourbon is that heirloom corn does not have enough starch and is therefore not as efficient as the standard #2 yellow dent corn. However, Easter’s corn mash was 22 brix! It is not uncommon for wine grapes to be harvested between 21 and 25 brix so the belatove definitely has enough potential. Once fermented, Easter double distilled the corn mash and aged the spirit in a mix of second fill 53 gallon barrels and third fill 25 gallon barrels.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: First thing you immediately notice is that this is a young corn whiskey. It has that typical note or yeast and cream corn. But as you sit with the whiskey it begins to reveal more complex aromas of stone fruit and cranberries, with just a hint of vanilla. There is also a nice light minerality to the nose that is very inviting.

Palate: On the palate the whiskey is light and a little hot but do not be dissuaded, it is packed full of flavor. On the tip of your tongue you first notice the earthy character that comes from the corn and yeast, but as the whiskey moves across your tongue it completely transforms. Mid-palate there is bright explosion of fruit flavors like a fresh compote made from blackcurrant and tart blueberries. And, as the spirit makes its way to the back of your palate you notice the oak with just a hint of vanilla and caramel.

Finish: The finish is long and warm with notes of milk chocolate and peanut butter. The finish has no bitterness and yet it has this great dance between sweet, salty, and savory that calls you back for another sip.

Conclusion: This corn whiskey from Rob Easter is like nothing else I've had before. He has shown a new approach to whiskey that is focused on the flavor potential unique grains and should be sought after by those looking for delicious whiskeys unencumbered by tradition. In my experience, corn whiskeys can be challenging. Unaged, they can be dominated by a somewhat musty and funky character from the fermented corn, and in a barrel, it is easy for the spirit to be overwhelmed by the oak and just taste like wood. But Easter has found the perfect balance of the two. The character of the heirloom corn mingled with the used oak has created something truly unique and special. The elegance and restraint of this spirit reminds me of how wine writer Jon Bonné described "New California Wine" that was focused on allowing the character of the fruit and the terrior to shine through. This spirit is not your average corn whiskey but a witness to the incredible flavor potential of heirloom corn and the great attention the distiller brought to this spirit. If you are a traditional bourbon drinker or a fan of Mellow Corn, this may be outside your comfort zone. However, if you are fond of restrained wines or light bodied malt whiskeys you may be open to enjoy this different and delicious spirit.