Tag Archives: Benchmark

The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 26: Turning a $22 Bottle Into a Top-Shelf Pour

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I didn’t distill this whiskey. I just gave a solid $22 bottle three weeks in a finishing cask — and it jumped into the top 30 on my shelf. Continue reading →

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Tasting Tuesday: A Fresh Look at the Benchmark Five

Posted on December 2, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

This week’s Tasting Tuesday revisits the full five-bottle Benchmark lineup as I continue re-evaluating every bourbon on my shelf — now down to 36 left. My palate has changed, the scores have shifted, and a few surprises emerged, but Benchmark still stands as one of the best value introductions to bourbon you can buy. Continue reading →

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The Bourbon Cheapskate, Vol. 4: Benchmark’s Five-Bottle Shelf

Posted on August 28, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

If someone asked me where to start with bourbon—and they only wanted to spend about $100—I’d point them straight to Benchmark. Forget the 80-proofer, but grab the other five bottles in the line, and you’ve got yourself a small whiskey … Continue reading →

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The Bottled-in-Bond Showdown: The Elite Eight

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

The field has been narrowed, and the stakes are higher. After a competitive play-in round saw Jack Daniel’s Bonded and the formidable George Dickel 13-year advance, our Elite Eight is officially set. Today, the intensity ramps up as we cut … Continue reading →

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The Bottled-in-Bond Challenge Begins: The Play-In Round

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

The journey has begun! After seeding ten outstanding Bottled-in-Bond bourbons, it’s time for the first taste-off. To narrow the field down to our Elite Eight, the four lowest-seeded contenders must first battle it out in a play-in round. This sets … Continue reading →

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Capnpen’s Ultimate Sip Challenge 2025: Round 1, Part 8

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Douglas Blaine

As we approach the last phase of the first round of our inaugural Ultimate Sip Challenge, we reach the end of our third region, which presents some of our tastiest drams to date. Our subsitute bourbon in the Enthusiast Level … Continue reading →

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