Bourbon Reviews:
Bottling Name | Basil Hayden's | Bottled By | James B. Beam Distilling Co. Clermont,KY | Type | Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Alcohol content | 80 Proof | Availability | US: Available Japan: Unknown Duty Free: Unknown Europe: Available | Mashbill Info | Old Grand Dad | Age | 8 | Views (since 20080612) | 203442 | Bottling Info | <From their website>
History
The recipe of this remarkable bourbon dates back to 1796, when Basil Hayden himself was a master distiller. Hayden was born and raised in Maryland, where he learned to make whiskey from rye. When he came to Kentucky, Hayden began making whiskey from a base of corn, but added a higher percentage of rye than other distillers, resulting in a smooth, mild bourbon that was distinctly his own.
Distinctions
Basil Hayden???s is unique in that it utilizes twice as much rye in it as the other bourbons in the Collection. This abundance of rye gives it a slightly peppery taste and aroma, perfect for sipping on the rocks. Aged eight years at a relatively mild 80 proof, Basil Hayden's has a broad appeal and is delicious in mixed cocktails.
Tasting Notes
Age: 8 years
Proof: 80
Color: Golden amber
Aroma: Spice, tea, hint of peppermint
Taste: Spicy, peppery, honey, light-bodied, gentle bite
Finish: Dry, clean, brief
Award: Silver Medal Bourbon
- Wine Enthusiast
Comments: "Basil Hayden???s is one of the best ultra-premium bourbons that you can find. It???s a good example of what a classic bourbon is like. It???s absolutely brilliant." - Spirit Journal | Events for this bottling: | |
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Review from Birdo (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2372, Created:20160817120910, Updated:20160818113802) Purchased at: | Louisville | Purchased for: | Gift, free | Info on this bottle: | Nothing interesting, nice bottle though | Nose: | vanilla, all spice, rye | Taste: | Starts out sweet with vanilla and goes to rye spice in a nice balanced bourbon. a bit of mint along the way | Finish: | short, soft and dry | Overall: | I like this stuff a lot, especially for free. This one is good for drinking neat or with a small ice cube. Although pricey, it is one of the best 80 proofers available, like Four Roses Yellow label but with more flavor and complexity. The high rye mash bill makes for a crisp flavor.
I don't see myself buying it regularly, but who knows, I get a bottle on my own dime sometime. I see this as a great choice on a business expense account or business dinner. At business dinners, this stuff would be very good and the lower proof would help you keep a clear head longer, sort of like a sessionable beer. Considering the real price, it's not that expensive, a stiff home pour might be $4 bucks versus $2 for cheaper stuff, this means the incremental cost over the cheap stuff is only like $2 which is reasonable for a special occasion, like Monday Night Football. |
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Review from gstoev (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2331, Created:20150305232232) Purchased at: | local liquor store | Purchased for: | $38 | Nose: | Crisp, fresh. Spiced. Rooty, floral. Vanilla and solid hit of rye. | Taste: | Gentle and rounded. Poised rye spice tingling through notes of winter berries. | Finish: | definitely short, weak, some vanilla and berries | Overall: | Overall surprisingly good everyday bourbon; lacks compexity and is too bland for long lasting memories |
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Review from DrBob (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2232, Created:20130814104826, Updated:20130814105005) Purchased at: | Costco | Purchased for: | $35 | Info on this bottle: | aged 8 years | Nose: | Vanilla and Caramel | Taste: | Nose did not deceive, dominant vanilla, hint of caramel, sweet, slight spice | Finish: | Thin and Weak, mostly a lingering sweetness, not complex and rather short | Overall: | Can tell the recipe relationship to Old Grand Dad, but overall very mild compared to OGD BIB, very smooth and soft, no rough edges,
this is a very innocuous bourbon, and lacks complexity. Wife likes it with ginger ale??? the extra aging did knock off the beam aftertaste.
Overall not a good value at $35, but not a bad bourbon at all, might be a good intro for scotch drinkers. Ice only diluted. At this price point and in the "smooth" category I prefer Elmer T Lee |
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Review from Wasatch (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2045, Created:20120220153832) Purchased at: | Layton, UT | Purchased for: | $37 750ml | Nose: | Nice golden amber color.
Very nice vanilla note, caramel, slight oaky scent, spicy. | Taste: | Slightly sweet, slightly oil texture, very nice oak note, some caramel notes, nice rye note, and spicy. | Finish: | A very nice light finish, with a slight sweetness, oily texture, and a slightly dry finish. Very smooth, and rich. | Overall: | Cool looking bottle. This one is the lightest bodied to date. Highly Recommended! |
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Review from independant (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1649, Created:20090813072554) Purchased at: | 38.95 | Purchased for: | From the Beam Distilery | Info on this bottle: | Standard | Nose: | Rye spice and sweet corn | Taste: | Light sweet and spicy with hints of brown sugar not very complex | Finish: | Short leaving just a bit of spice in the mouth | Overall: | For almost half the cost you can get a bottle of OGD BIB and not be disappointed. For what Beam did with added age they took away with lower proof. |
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Review from BuffaloBill (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1297, Created:20080918114520) Purchased at: | NH State Liquor Store | Purchased for: | $3 - 50ml. | Info on this bottle: | Basil Hayden's 8 Year | Nose: | Good rye, good leather. Wildflower honey is the predominant note. Aromatic, with a solid hit of Black Peppercorn. | Taste: | Remarkably smooth. Big legs. Impressive for an 80 Proofer, although quite linear and predictable. | Finish: | Quick to fade. Vanishing, leaving me wanting more. Not at all dry, more middle of the road and easy drinking. | Overall: | A satisfying nose when in the mood for something light. The finish is restrained with little complexity - although, I would choose this above the 8 Year Black Label on any given day. Good texture and honey... BB |
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Review from Kendall (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 912, Created:20071119170434) Purchased at: | Liquor Mart, Richmond, Ky. | Purchased for: | 5.99 50ml | Info on this bottle: | standard botle | Proof Of this Bottle: | 80 | Nose: | light corn, sweet | Taste: | very easy (smooth), light, nice but not a lot happening | Finish: | quick, nice warmth | Overall: | good, easy to drink, not complex
spun cookies review was dead on.
I think this would be a geat starter bourbon for new drinkers. |
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Review from spun_cookie (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 898, Created:20071111184140, Updated:20071111184344) Purchased at: | Costco | Purchased for: | ~$35 | Info on this bottle: | 8 yrs, part of the Bookers, Bakers, Basil Hayden's trio from Costco | Proof Of this Bottle: | 80 | Nose: | Light - very light leather, citrus, light maple. Nothing stands out in this one.
Almost has a light circus peanut smell (which would have to be light banana?) | Taste: | Light leather and medium citrus... a little orange. Slight vanilla...
Not enough there to get my mind around....
| Finish: | Neat:
0-15 seconds crisp... light burn and rapid fade
15-30 seconds... light burn, slight earthy leather
30-45 seconds I can still tell I had some bourbon, but nothing distinct...
45-60 seconds nothing left to speak of...
Rocks:
Did not bother
| Overall: | It would be easy to drink to much of this... so little to remember it would be hard to tell you've been drinking...
Definitely the lesser of the Bookers, Baker, Knob run... This is as weak as the Bookers is strong.
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Review from mike stark (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 691, Created:20070117231201) Purchased at: | bridges liquors | Purchased for: | 35 | Proof Of this Bottle: | 80 | Nose: | surprisingly good for a Beam product. | Taste: | another nice surprise. very mellow, no harshness whatsoever. best of the small batch bourbons | Finish: | quietly smoothe, lingers just long enough. would be great for those just starting their bourbon adventure. | Overall: | a very good bourbon. just a little light for my taste. still all in all a very nice bourbon experience. slightly overpriced |
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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 566, Created:20060809145452, Updated:20060810032231) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at: | Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA | Purchased for: | $38 | Nose: | A subtle nose that creeps into your smeller with all the aggression of a rabbit. Is she hiding her treasure for the taste? There is some vanilla, some mild oak, a whiff of leather, some nuts, and a little brown sugar, and the aroma of bread. Where is the advertised rye...........I find it not! | Taste: | Of a piece with the nose...............mild in every respect. Nothing about the taste of Basil Hayden begs your attention. It is as if it were ashamed of its bourbon heritage. It will be on the back row when the bourbon portrait is taken.........and I hope it will be out of sight behind Evan Williams Green Label! | Finish: | Where did it go? | Overall: | Ladies and gentlemen.............I know there are people who prefer Basil Hayden bourbon over all others, I agree completely with their right to do so. But since this is an opportunity for opinions...........I think this is a poor quality bourbon. It tastes thin and watered down. |
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Review from bourbonv (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 365, Created:20060311064716) Purchased at: | Bourbon's Bistro Bar | Purchased for: | 9.00 | Info on this bottle: | Standard Bottle | Proof Of this Bottle: | 80 | Nose: | Light and Spicy - allspice. | Taste: | Sweet caramel and allspice. | Finish: | VERY short and sweet. | Overall: | An after dinner drink as a palate cleanser or maybe as a mixed drink. |
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Review from Delephant (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 241, Created:20050811145304, Updated:20051009143103) Purchased at: | Seattle, WA | Purchased for: | 36.95 | Info on this bottle: | 750ml, Standard Bottle | Proof Of this Bottle: | 80 | Nose: | The bourbon opens with an absolutely incredible nose, hinting of good things to come. It has a very sweet, mellow aroma, with minor hints of vanilla and even a sweet peppermint. | Taste: | Light in body and alcohol, its an easy drinker. It has a very nice, sweet flavor of honey to it, with no bitterness or tartness to speak of. | Finish: | It has a relatively brief finish, lasting no more than ten seconds, but pleasant nonetheless. What lingers is a nice, lightly sweet corn taste. | Overall: | Although not the biggest and baddest of bourbons around, it is still nice for what it is. Originally this and Makers were the two that really made bourbon as my drink of choice, and the reasons are obvious. Its a very approachable bourbon that is good neat, but while perhaps a little light on the rocks, still maintains its flavor. It doesnt however hold up at all after drinking any bigger bourbons, and after a glass of bookers, seems like water. Overall light body, light hues, excellent and large nose with a follow up flavor that is nice, but that doesnt maintain what the aromas seem to hint at. |
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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 142) Purchased at: | Gift | Nose: | Whole wheat bread, pecans, tinge of vanilla, clover, carmel, and yes, a bit of the advertised rye. Very pleasant, but strangely does not come off as complex. | Taste: | A gentle corn sweetness allows this bourbon to creep its way across your mouth and then slide down your throat. It is smooth, but not a full- bodied bourbon. | Finish: | A nice moderate finish that leaves a warm reassuring aftertaste. At 80 proof it is non-assaultive and goes out like a lamb. | Overall: | A good to very good bourbon. As for me, most of the time I prefer bourbons that have more complex noses and stronger flavors. I like 'em to stand up to me and offer me a challenge (not everyone's cup of bourbon to be sure), so don't pay no 'tention to what it says in the blurb by the bottle above (I don't know what Spirit Journal was adrinking that day), cause nothing sticks out about this bourbon. It is like a toyota sedan.........very functional and reliable, but it won't turn heads or generate lively discussion. If I were on a desert island and I was told that I would only be allowed Basil Hayden's bourbon to drink, I would not burst into tears and bemoan my horrible fate (it could be worse). But I would treasure my memories of better bourbon times! |
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