The Distiller expert score has thus far had me steer clear of BH due to the price. I also recently tried their rye offering and it wasn't for me. I now have a bottle though, and a good friend swears by it, so let's give it a go. Nose: Savoury for a bourbon. Leather, oak and a touch of rye spice. Palate: Also spicy and savoury, with heavy wood notes. This is probably the least sweet bourbon I've tried so far, and it's a nice change of pace. Finish: Medium length, dry and warming. The wood really comes out to play hear, and I get a lingering taste of cedar that reminds me of being in a sauna. As a straight sipper it's good, but it lacking some depth. Could be the low ABV I suppose. It does make one hell of an old fashioned though. Would I buy another bottle at $56? Probably not when there are so many other solid offerings at that price. I will enjoy making some cocktails with this bottle though.
About this bottle
Basil Hayden is one of four Kentucky straight bourbons in the Beam Small Batch Collection, alongside Booker’s, Baker’s, and Knob Creek. While Basil Hayden, Sr. is not featured on his namesake bottle, his likeness appears on every bottle of Old Grand-Dad, which uses the same high-rye mash bill recipe found here. This expression is the lowest proof in the collection, bottled at just 80 proof. Note: As of 2021, the brand name was updated from Basil Hayden’s to Basil Hayden across the entire portfolio, though the bourbon recipe itself has not changed.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 50 parsed reviews.
Nose: vanilla, caramel, condensed milk, white pepper and cinnamon Palate: chocolate cherry, heavy cream, honey baked oats, thin and tea like texture but honey like taste Finish: rye spice, more vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom Value: C- the nose has a bit of rye and sweetness but both the nose and palate is lacking complexity with a palate more like sweet milk than anything. Finish is most definitely short and once again a little sweet with rye and baking spices. Other than being a gateway to more pronounced ryes, this is not quite worth the $
An intense, Straight Bourbon Whiskey by the Jim Beam Distillery in Kentucky with a higher percentage of Rye & aged American oak barrels. It has an intense birth with spice, herbal & tea notes; while a complex life adds notes of white pepper, orange peel, lemon, corn, cinnamon, rye spice & sweet caramel, that leads to a dry & quick death with notes of cinnamon pepperiness & light vanilla oakiness. September 2018 / January / September 2019 / July 2022
Its gentle on the nose with a vanilla and brown sugar sweetness to it. Im also getting maybe slight notes of mint on the nose as well. On the palate Its not overly impressive to me. Its a little watery on the mouth feel and then I don’t feel it really carries much weight to it. Its got a slight bite, peppery taste on the front end, but then it just falls off to me and kinda leaves me hanging. I wish it had a bit more robustness to it
Nice rye on the nose, i get hints of banana, maybe banana bread? Follows through on rye taste, oaky, with vanilla. Finish is short lived, oaky, and a spiciness that befits it's low proof. A decent sipper, good introduction to higher rye profiles, and easy on the wallet. I'll have a bottle on my shelf 8/12 months.
Le classique bourbon vanille et cassonade pour débuter. Un peu d'épices également avec un léger côté boisé. L'alcool est bien présent et ça reste chaud tout au long de la gorgée. Rien de trop extraordinaire non plus mais ça reste un excellent bourbon de style classique qui fait le travail.
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Tastes like this
Closest flavor profiles across the whole catalog.
