Basil Hayden's Bourbon

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The pronounced rye component gives this Kentucky Straight Bourbon its spicy side, while corn contributes sweetness. Booker Noe developed Basil Hayden in 1992 for the Small Batch Collection as a more approachable bourbon. It is bottled at 40% ABV.

Charred oak, vanilla and caramel shape its character. Dried fruit and brown sugar add sweetness, balanced by the spice of black pepper. The bourbon remains light and well balanced.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose offers charred oak, sweet vanilla and caramel, with a hint of dried fruit. Spices, tea and a subtle peppermint note follow.
• Palate: On the palate, charred oak meets brown sugar, honey and dried fruit. Black pepper brings spice; the bourbon remains light-bodied with a gentle bite.
• Finish: Charred oak and a little dried fruit linger on the finish. It fades dry and clean.

Distillery/Bottler:

James B. Beam Distilling Co. is based in Clermont, Kentucky, and makes Basil Hayden. The Beam family’s whiskey-making history reaches back to Jacob Beam’s first barrel sale in 1795. After Prohibition, Jim Beam restored the family yeast, which the company still uses for its bourbons.

Booker Noe, a sixth-generation Beam Master Distiller, added Basil Hayden to his Small Batch Collection in 1992. He drew inspiration from Meredith Basil Hayden Sr., a rye farmer and whiskey distiller who moved from Maryland to Kentucky and was associated with bourbon containing a higher proportion of rye. Today, Basil Hayden belongs to the whiskey portfolio of Suntory Global Spirits.

Facts: