Meeting #26 - April ’26 – Benchmark Bottled-In-Bond, Fog City, and Penelope Rio

April brought us 3 new bourbons, all scoring well with our crowd, along the model of a

less expensive, dare we say “cheap,” a moderately priced drinker, and a more

expensive bourbon, at least in the view of a “cheap” pilot.  And…….cheap almost

won the day just .05 points off the winner!  Let’s take a closer look at these great

bourbons.

1) Benchmark Straight Bonded Bourbon Bottled in Bond

100 Proof | 4 years | $25

Mashbill: Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1

HF score: 3.2

Produced by Buffalo Trace using mashbill #1, which is a low-rye recipe consisting of corn, rye and malted barley, Benchmark is often compared to much higher priced Buffalo

Trace products like E.H. Taylor, Eagle Rare, George T. Stagg that also use #1. Our group scored this a respectable 3.2...damn good for $25! There are multiple bottles in the Benchmark line-up, ranging from small batch, all the way to full-proof and single barrel offerings, all around the $20-30 price point.

Nose: Oak, caramel, vanilla, and a distinct cherry or fruity note.

Palate: Sweet, well-rounded, and oaky, with strong notes of caramel,

brown sugar, cinnamon, and berries or grape.

Finish: Medium length, warming with spice, oak, and a slight, pleasant

lingering heat.

2) Fog City Bourbon Whiskey Finished on Oak Staves

100 proof | No age statement | $55

Unknown Mashbill. Distilled at MGP in Indiana, finished/bottled in San Fransisco.

HF score: 3.25

Crafted in the heart of San Francisco, Fog City Bourbon is the flagship release from Fog City Spirits, a small-batch distillery. Interesting fine print, distilled in Indiana, produced in

San Francisco. Fog city was the winner for the night by a small margin, with a score of 3.25.

Nose: Warm vanilla, toasted oak, and soft caramel.

Palate: Rich maple sweetness balanced with buttery caramel and subtle spice.

Finish: Smooth, lingering, and satisfyingly warm.

3) Penelope Rio

98 proof | No age statement | $85

Mashbill: 74% Corn, 16% Wheat, 7% Rye, 3% Malted Barley.

HF score: 3.17

Hails from Penelope’s “Cooper Series”, which is named after the

Founders Son.  MGP grain, distilled in Lawrenceville, IN. It's Penelope’s straight

bourbon whiskey, finished first in honey barrels and then new Amburana barrels from Brazil.

This selection had the widest variances in scores, folks either loved it or weren’t very impressed - definitely different in a very sweet way than most standard bourbons. It's like taking a sip of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, which if you have a sweet tooth, would be a great little desert treat after dinner. Amburana is an extremely fragrant wood which imparts a strong cinnamon flavor on anything it touches. So much so that distilleries typically only use it for very short periods of time. While this is whiskey is heavy on the cinnamon, Penelope does a great job balancing the flavors, avoiding a "medicinal" taste some competitors can have. Don't worry, it's no Fireball!

Nose: Intense aromas of cinnamon rolls, cream cheese frosting, honey, and baking spices.

Palate: Thick mouthfeel with dominant flavors of honey, cinnamon toast crunch, and maple, often described as liquid cinnamon roll or King Cake

Finish: Medium length with lingering sweet cinnamon and honey.