Updated April 2026.
Benchmark is Sazerac’s value bourbon; Buffalo Trace is the named flagship at 90 proof / 45% ABV. They share a company family, not an automatic mash. A 1.5-ounce Trace pour is 1.13 NIAAA drinks. Benchmark SKUs print their own proof — often the 80-proof floor on grocery lots, but we did not fetch an official Benchmark PDF. Read the neck. We will not pick a winner or invent a 2026 MSRP.
Both must meet if labeled bourbon. Related: Buffalo Trace, bottom-shelf, everyday bourbon.
Flagship vs value label
| Check | Benchmark | Buffalo Trace flagship |
|---|---|---|
| Typical US proof | Read the neck | 90 / 45% (brand page) |
| 1.5 oz drinks | 1.00 if 80 proof | 1.13 |
| Company | Sazerac | Sazerac / Frankfort |
| Mash | Not published as Bill #1 | Mash Bill #1 |
A 750 mL 45% bottle is about 19 drinks; at 40% about 17. Four Trace pours are about 4.5 drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- buffalotracedistillery.com flagship: 90 proof / 45%; Mash Bill #1.
- Benchmark: Sazerac value line (trade). Official ABV tile not fetched. — label wins.
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143. NIAAA (December 2025). No 2026 MSRP.