Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Product Description

Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: The Light, Spicy High-Rye Bourbon Built to Be Easy

Most bourbon announces itself. Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon doesn’t have to. Created in 1992 by Jim Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe, it’s a high-rye bourbon built on a mash bill with roughly twice the rye of a standard bourbon (reported at 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% malted barley), which gives it a peppery, spicy edge and a light, easy body. It’s bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV), distilled at Jim Beam in Clermont, Kentucky, and named for Meredith Basil Hayden Sr., the Kentucky distiller associated with the high-rye approach in the 1790s.

It’s one of the four original bottles in Beam’s Small Batch Collection, and it’s the gentle one: the brand’s notes describe charred oak with vanilla and caramel, brown sugar, black pepper, and dried fruit, and a clean, lingering finish. Wine Enthusiast scored it 93 points, with vanilla and fresh apple, light vanilla and honey, and deeper cocoa and hazelnut. At 80 proof, it’s a gateway bourbon and an easy sipper, and it’s good in a highball with ginger ale, an Old Fashioned, a Mint Julep, or a Boulevardier. If you want heat and weight, look at the higher-proof Beam bourbons, but if you want a bourbon that’s spicy, approachable, and easy to share, this is the one.

About the Bottle

• Kentucky straight bourbon, high-rye mash bill; no age statement
• 80 proof (40% ABV)
• James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, Kentucky; Beam Small Batch Collection
• Basil Hayden; 750ml

Tasting Notes

From the brand and Wine Enthusiast.

Nose: Charred oak, vanilla, caramel, and dried fruit, with a hint of fresh apple.

Palate: Light vanilla and honey, brown sugar, black pepper, and a note of cocoa and hazelnut.

Finish: A clean, lingering finish of oak and dried fruit.

Food Pairings

The spice and sweetness pair well with grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, and burgers. It also goes with sharp cheddar, roasted nuts, and apple pie.

Serving Suggestions

Sip it neat or over ice, or splash it with ginger ale for a highball. For an Old Fashioned, stir 2 oz Basil Hayden with 1/4 oz demerara syrup and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What proof is it? 80 proof (40% ABV).

What does high-rye mean? The mash bill uses about twice the rye of a typical bourbon, so it’s spicier and peppery.

How old is it? It has no age statement; reviewers believe it’s about 6 to 8 years.

Is it smooth? Yes, light-bodied and easy to sip.

Who makes it? The James B. Beam Distilling Co., in Clermont, Kentucky.

Is it good in cocktails? Yes, in an Old Fashioned, highball, Mint Julep, or Boulevardier.

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