Benchmark McAfee's No. 8 Straight

About the Benchmark McAfee's No. 8 Straight

Benchmark McAfee's No. 8 Straight is a Kentucky straight bourbon whisky made in the United States, at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. The name honors the McAfee brothers, who set out from Virginia in 1773 to explore Kentucky's unmapped frontier. They found a well-worn buffalo crossing on the Kentucky River, the very ground where Buffalo Trace Distillery now sits. Benchmark takes its identity from that pioneering spirit, and No. 8 was reportedly the surveying mark the brothers used on their travels. Open the bottle and corn sweetness leads immediately, backed by brown sugar and caramel. Vanilla builds underneath, giving the whisky a rounded, easy character without feeling thin. A light pepper note adds some lift partway through. Baking spice follows, warm rather than sharp, keeping the sip lively from the first taste to the finish. Oak plays a steady supporting role throughout. It brings the kind of woody structure you expect from new charred barrels. It never overwhelms the sweeter notes. Instead it frames them, giving the corn and caramel something firm to lean on. This balance is a hallmark of Buffalo Trace's approach across its bourbon range. Buffalo Trace built its reputation on consistency, and Benchmark is where that discipline meets everyday value. It is bottled at 40% ABV with no added colouring. What you see and taste comes from the barrel alone. That transparency matters to bourbon drinkers who want honesty over showmanship. Benchmark McAfee's No. 8 Straight rewards a simple approach: pour it neat and give it a minute to open. The spice settles, the vanilla rounds out, and the corn sweetness comes through clean. It is an easy bourbon to reach for often. It captures the frontier story behind Buffalo Trace without asking you to overthink the pour.