Basil Hayden Unveils Suave Subtle Smoke

Basil Hayden Bourbon has released Subtle Smoke – actually, re-released, as it was originally released in 2022 with the intention of being a one-time limited release. Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke, as part of the two-part maturing process, spent six months smoldering in secondary barrels that were toasted, slightly charred and infused with hickory smoke, then […]

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Basil Hayden Bourbon has released Subtle Smoke – actually, re-released, as it was originally released in 2022 with the intention of being a one-time limited release.

Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke, as part of the two-part maturing process, spent six months smoldering in secondary barrels that were toasted, slightly charred and infused with hickory smoke, then bottled at 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof) and is said to offer notes of butterscotch and – what else? – smoke.

Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke is being made available for $50 per 750 ml bottle across the USA.

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Basil Hayden Announces New Malted Rye Whiskey

Light amber in color, the 100% malted rye mash bill imparts a union of flavors. Malted Rye offers an elegant floral aroma, soft notes of vanilla & toasted rye on the palette, and a warm spice finish.

As the rye renaissance continues, Basil Hayden offers a more approachable rye with 100% malted rye mash bill.

Basil Hayden Announces New Malted Rye Whiskey

Basil Hayden expands its award-winning whiskey portfolio with the launch of a new permanent expression, Basil Hayden Malted Rye. An entirely new entrant into the rye category, Basil Hayden Malted Rye delivers an approachable, unexpected softness rarely seen in rye whiskey.

Crafted by eighth generation master distiller Freddie Noe, this special release is created using a distinct malting process that transforms the rye grain to create a more subtle, mellow spice with delicate sweet and floral notes. This offering shines a light on what whiskey can be and invites consumers to explore the more refined side of rye, with the liquid delicately poised between Basil Hayden’s signature smooth taste profile and the spicier notes of rye.

“Basil Hayden continues to push boundaries in the tradition of my grandfather Booker Noe. We are continuing to challenge perceptions with our newest permanent expression, Basil Hayden Malted Rye, introducing an entirely new flavor profile within the whiskey category,” said eighth generation master distiller Freddie Noe. “It delivers a more refined side, an unexpected softness and approachability, creating a new way to experience rye”.

Light amber in color, the 100% malted rye mash bill imparts a union of flavors. Malted Rye offers an elegant floral aroma, soft notes of vanilla & toasted rye on the palette, and a warm spice finish. Bottled at 80 proof, Malted Rye is a well-balanced and refined liquid. It is recommended to serve neat to allow the mash bill to truly shine.

Arriving just in time for the holiday season, Basil Hayden Malted Rye’s approachable take on rye , will elevate any occasion and invite guests on a journey of discovery. The offering joins Basil Hayden Toast as a super-premium permanent addition to the portfolio, Malted Rye will be hitting the shelves nationwide September 2023 with a suggested retail price of $59.99/750mL.

Basil Hayden’s Fools Gold Cocktail for a Spring Afternoon

Basil_Haydens Fools Gold Cocktail

This time of year brings warm afternoons and cool evenings, which means plenty of time to enjoy a refreshing sip on the porch before the night turns crisp. The Fool’s Gold recipe is a deceptively light bourbon cocktail, featuring a refreshing combination of bourbon, lemon juice, and limoncello liqueur. Enjoy a glass this weekend… Ingredients […]

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Basil_Haydens Fools Gold Cocktail

This time of year brings warm afternoons and cool evenings, which means plenty of time to enjoy a refreshing sip on the porch before the night turns crisp.

The Fool’s Gold recipe is a deceptively light bourbon cocktail, featuring a refreshing combination of bourbon, lemon juice, and limoncello liqueur. Enjoy a glass this weekend

Ingredients

2 parts Basil Hayden® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
3/4 part fresh lemon juice
1/2 part limoncello
1/2 part simple syrup
Lemon wheel
Fresh sage

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Strain into a rocks glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and fresh sage.

Recipe & Photo: Basil Hayden

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Basil Hayden: The Official American Whiskey of Michelin Guide USA

Basil

In a bit of an interesting revelation, Basil Hayden has been announced as the Official American Whiskey of the Michelin Guide USA. Michelin Guide is kind of like the Academy Awards for restaurant recognition. The highly coveted 3 star award scale system goes back to 1936, founded initially in Europe. The MG USA didn’t hit […]

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Basil

In a bit of an interesting revelation, Basil Hayden has been announced as the Official American Whiskey of the Michelin Guide USA.

Michelin Guide is kind of like the Academy Awards for restaurant recognition. The highly coveted 3 star award scale system goes back to 1936, founded initially in Europe. The MG USA didn’t hit the states until 2005. A dram of irony, yes, the namesake is en-tire-ly after the tire company who created it as a roadside guide for dining excellence.

MICHELIN GUIDE 3 STAR SYSTEM (Source Wikipedia)

  •  * “A very good restaurant in its category” (Une très bonne table dans sa catégorie)
  •  ** “Excellent cooking, worth a detour” (Table excellente, mérite un détour)
  •  *** “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey” (Une des meilleures tables, vaut le voyage).

This is an upper echelon chess move by Beam Suntory owned Basil, we kinda like it. Woodford has tied itself in the past to the James Beard Foundation. As has Rabbit Hole Distillery more recently. In 2019, Maker’s Mark had an “official partnership” with Bravo’s Top Chef. But outside of Knob Creek, there hasn’t been a whole lot of publicity and partnerships spotted with the James Beam Small Batch Portfolio.

Basil Hayden is in that category of a nice every day sipper. It’s 80 proof, quite approachable. And with a price point in the low $30’s, that makes it very approachable. It’s nice to see approachable pair with the perhaps unapproachable status of the MG, a good balance if you will.

PER THE PRESS RELEASE BELOW:

“Consumers seek out MICHELIN and Basil Hayden for similar reasons: They want an elevated experience,” said Cara Cornelius, vice president of food and travel experiences for MICHELIN Americas. “We know; however, people sometimes assume these experiences are out of reach, kept behind an expensive bill or impossible reservations. Our goal for this new partnership is to bring MICHELIN-level events to the consumer and show how sophistication and quality can be enjoyed by all.”

One of the most anticipated events is an immersive “tasting garden” that will travel to popular food festivals across the U.S. Kicking off this June, the co-branded footprint will feature a diner-inspired exterior that gives way to a surprise, high-end cocktail bar where attendees of legal purchase age or older will enjoy Basil Hayden craft cocktails paired with MICHELIN-inspired small bites. Designed as an inclusive entry point into the world of Basil Hayden and the MICHELIN Guide, attendees will depart having discovered perfect pairings and new occasions for bourbon.

In addition to the pop-ups, Basil Hayden will serve as an official partner of the 2023 MICHELIN Guide ceremonies and will present the MICHELIN Exceptional Cocktails Award. The partnership will also include a suite of initiatives, including a sweepstakes where a lucky winner will get to experience a MICHELIN Star weekend – inclusive of fine dining and luxury accommodations.

Jonathan Marks, senior marketing director for Global Small Batch Bourbon at Beam Suntory, shares excitement for the collaboration. “We are honored to be the official American whiskey of the MICHELIN Guide. Both the MICHELIN Guide and Basil Hayden celebrate excellence in our craft and create unique experiences for consumers, making this the perfect partnership. At Basil Hayden, we aim to unlock experiences to make them accessible and approachable – just like our whiskey. Basil Hayden’s refined yet welcoming taste profile makes it appeal to both whiskey novices and seasoned bourbon drinkers,” Marks said.

The Basil Hayden and MICHELIN Guide pop-up tour kicks off this summer and will continue through the fall. The 2023 tour stops and dates are as follows.

2023 Tour Stops
Chicago, IL – Taste of Randolph, Jun 16-18
Denver, CO – Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July 1-3
Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond, Sept 14-17
Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Sept 21-24
New York, NY – New York City Wine & Food Festival, Oct 12-15
San Diego, CA – San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Nov 11

For more info on Basil Hayden, please visit www.basilhayden.com

For the latest on the Bourbon Lifestyle, please visit us at www.thebourbonreview.com

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Basil Hayden Bourbon Review

Booker Noe crafted Basil Hayden Bourbon in 1992 to produce a more subtle but tasty bourbon. The mash bill pays homage to the one created by Meredith Basil Hayden in 1792, who used a high-rye recipe. Basil Hayden Bourbon honors both men and their contributions.

The post Basil Hayden Bourbon Review appeared first on Bourbon Obsessed℠ .

Basil Hayden
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
James B Beam Distilling Co
80 Proof
MSRP: $50
Review

Please enjoy our Basil Hayden Bourbon review by Ray Marcano!

A light bourbon for those who don’t like much burn, but the flavor profile and finish miss the mark

History

Booker Noe crafted Basil Hayden Bourbon in 1992 to produce a more subtle but tasty bourbon. The mash bill pays homage to the one created by Meredith Basil Hayden in 1792, who used a high-rye recipe. Basil Hayden Bourbon honors both men and their contributions.

Basil Hayden Bourbon Review Front Label
Front Label – Basil Hayden Bourbon Review
Mash Bill

Corn: 63%
Rye: 27%
Malted Barley: 10%

Tasting Notes

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Vanilla, dried fruit, oak
👉🏻Taste: Vanilla, honey, citrus
👉🏻Finish: Honey, oak

Side Label
Side Label
Summary

Basil Hayden is supposed to offer customers a subtle bourbon that appeals to those who want a light yet tasty pour. So this presents a conundrum. Serious bourbon drinkers, especially those that like a richer and deeper drink that showcases a variety of flavors, will find this boring. It has a very short finish and little character. Entry-level drinkers will be okay with it.

Neck Label
Neck Label
Conclusion

Basil Hayden Bourbon would be okay, but the $50 price point doesn’t match the quality. There are plenty of bourbons that cost nearly half the price with twice the flavor. I have a bottle in my collection just because. I had a glass for this review and won’t for a while.

We hope you have enjoyed our Basil Hayden Bourbon review by Ray Marcano. Ray publishes a free monthly newsletter, The Bourbon Resource. You can subscribe here. If you would like to learn more about one of the Basil Hayden Special Releases, check out our Basil Hayden Toast Review!

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In Combination that No-One Asked For… Basil Hayden Introduces Bourbon Finished in Red Wine Cask

In what reminds me of an 11 year old mixing flavors of pop (yes, pop… not soda or coke) at Burger King, Beam Suntory brand, Basil Hayden has introduced Bourbon finished in a Red Wine Cask. Jonathan Marks, Senior Marketing Director for Global Sma…

In what reminds me of an 11 year old mixing flavors of pop (yes, pop... not soda or coke) at Burger King, Beam Suntory brand, Basil Hayden has introduced Bourbon finished in a Red Wine Cask. 

Jonathan Marks, Senior Marketing Director for Global Small Batch Bourbon at Beam Suntory says:
We are creating new avenues for consumers to enjoy our light and inviting expressions through unique cask finishes and innovative releases. Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish continues the Basil Hayden mission to opening up the category to new drinkers and occasions.
To make this expression, Basil Hayden blends the Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with bourbon partially aged in Californian red wine casks. It comes in at 80 proof (40% alcohol) and $59.99 MSRP and will be available nationwide. It has the following tasting notes:

Nose: Dried fruit notes with cherry & vanilla, hint of toasted oak

Taste: Sweet ambrosia with complex levels of charred oak

Finish: Warm with a crisp, delicate mouthfeel

My Take 

My wife has an amazing expression that fits this release perfectly... Just because you AmeriCAN... doesn't mean you AmeriSHOULD. There are certain things that don't really go together... red wine and bourbon are two of those. I'm not sure who this release is for? Red wine drinkers don't necessarily want a wine flavored bourbon... nor do bourbon drinkers. For me, this is a very hard pass. 

What do you think? Drop a note in the comment box below. 

Source: Beam Suntory

Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish Hits The Market

Basil

Basil Hayden announced this week the release of its newest limited edition, Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish. Created by eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe, this expression blends the signature Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with bourbon partially aged in Californian red wine casks. Per the brand, the vanilla and charred oak notes of […]

The post Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish Hits The Market first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Basil

Basil Hayden announced this week the release of its newest limited edition, Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish.

Created by eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe, this expression blends the signature Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with bourbon partially aged in Californian red wine casks. Per the brand, the vanilla and charred oak notes of classic Basil Hayden intertwine with flavors of dried fruit and sweet nectar imparted by the red wine cask for a layered, complex, yet approachable result.

Tasting Notes (Brand Provided)

Rich amber and toasted brown hues make for a warm welcome into the whiskey, which then gives way into aromas of dried fruit notes with cherry, vanilla, and toasted oak on the nose. Upon the first sip, flavors of sweet ambrosia are complemented by complex levels of charred oak. Rounded off with a warm, crisp finish, the highly versatile flavor profile of Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish makes it ideal for serving in aperitif-style cocktails.

Hitting shelves alongside the annual release of Basil Hayden’s 10-Year, Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish arrives just in time for the holidays. This limited-time release will be available nationwide at a suggested price of $59.99/750mL. To discover more about Basil Hayden visit www.basilhaydenbourbon.com.

Basil

Courtesy Image

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Basil Hayden Announces Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke

Beam Suntory brand Basil Hayden has announced the one-time release of Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke.Beam family distiller, Freddie Noe says of this release:We continue to honor my grandfather Booker Noe’s legacy of pushing the boundaries of what bourb…

Beam Suntory brand Basil Hayden has announced the one-time release of Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke.

Beam family distiller, Freddie Noe says of this release:
We continue to honor my grandfather Booker Noe's legacy of pushing the boundaries of what bourbon can be with the debut of Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke. A showcase of the many ways in which our bourbon can be layered, refined and complex, yet approachable and inviting, Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke is reimagining how smoky spirits can taste.

For this release, the bourbon was put into a second barrel that was toasted and lighted charred. At that point, hickory-smoked chips are ignited at a constant feed to produce smoke, which is then pumped into the barrel. The secondary aging process goes on for 6 months and is supposed to result in soft, charred notes.

Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke is available markets, but not showing up on the State website for sale in Ohio. It has an MSRP of $49.99 for a 750ml bottle. No proof was provided, but most Basil Hayden products come in at 80, so I would expect this to be in that range. The tasting notes are:

Nose: Mellow smoke character with a hint of vanilla

Taste: Soft char with light sweetness reminiscent of butterscotch and maple

Finish: Crisp, yet delicate finish of smokiness with light toasted hickory wood

My Take

It seems like Basil Hayden is coming up with a lot of ideas lately... they started with the Basil Hayden Toast, which sounded great, but was meh. They also introduced Caribbean Reserve Rye, which sounded bizarre. I'm sure this is filling a need, but I'm not sure what that need is. There are already lots of smoky bourbons out there without having to through a second barrel process to add more smoke. Because of that, I think I'm going to pass on this one. 

What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below. 


Source: Beam Suntory

Basil Hayden Toast Review

Welcome to the Columbus Bourbon review for Basil Hayden Toast. As readers may remember, I wrote about the release of Basil Hayden Toast in August of 2021. At that time, I mentioned how I was really excited and would be picking up a bottle as soon as I …

Welcome to the Columbus Bourbon review for Basil Hayden Toast. As readers may remember, I wrote about the release of Basil Hayden Toast in August of 2021. At that time, I mentioned how I was really excited and would be picking up a bottle as soon as I saw this on the shelves, which I did! 

The concept of this bourbon is that the secondary aging in a toasted then flash-charred oak barrel offers a unique taste. Will that be the case? Let's find out. 

We'll get started with the basics.


Manufacturer: Beam Suntory
Age: No age statement on bottle.

Location Produced: 
ClermontKentucky

Mash Bill: Unknown

Tasting notes (from manufacturer):

Nose: Toasted oak complemented by dried fruit and caramelized sugar

Taste: Toasted wood and vanilla with a light mouthfeel

Finish: Sweet caramel
 
Proof/Alcohol: 80 (40% alcohol by volume)

Cost (Ohio): $49.99 + tax in Ohio

Let's start the review. 

Taste - Score 25 out of 35

This review was done by me (Mark) and my wife (The Duchess). 

On the nose, we picked up the standard bourbon notes (oak). However, it is lighter than other bourbons and was a bit sweet as I could definitely pick up the sugar. 

The taste was light and sweet and a bit sugary. The Duchess noted it was mineral forward and reminded her a bit of Perrier. 

Smoothness/Finish - Score 14 out of 25

The finish was short to medium and didn't offer anything unique. It was fine. It was smooth, but that may be because of the lower proof of Basil Hayden's. I was expecting more from the toasted barrel. 

Intangibles: Color/Appearance - Score 12.5 out of 15.

I just love the Basil Hayden bottles. It's the BH belt, and how tall they are, and the look and feel. The Toast differs from other Basil Hayden varieties with the unique cork. It sticks out of the bottle and has the BH logo and the works Basil Haden Small Batch engraved at the top. 

The color was a little lighter than I would expect from a bourbon that went through a secondary aging. It's lighter than the Michter's bourbon and the Sazerac Rye. Officially, Basil Hayden calls the color dark amber, which seems about right. 






Availability - Score 2.5 out of 5

This product is available in Ohio, but you're going to have to do a decent amount of work to track down a bottle. As you can see in the availability map, it's showing fully in stock in one location in all of Columbus. It was a little better in Cleveland, but not much. 



Overall Value - Score 12.5 out of 20

The $49.99 question... is this something I would pick up over similar twice barreled bottles or other bottles at the $50 price point... Sadly, I was left disappointed with the Basil Hayden Toast. I felt there wasn't much character to it and it was a bit too light. The Duchess thought this could be a good bourbon to have near the pool in the summer because of the mineral taste and how light and smooth it went down. I'm sad I didn't like this more, but glad I found a bottle and got to experience it. 

Final Score: 66.5 out of 100 - Some uniqueness and could be good in the right situation


What do you think? Let me know in the comments. 


Note: This review was done by Mark with help from The Duchess. The bottle was bought by me in Powell, Ohio at retail price.

Basil Hayden Toast Review

Seems like everyone is doing a toasted barrel bourbon these days, so I guess it was only a matter of time before Jim Beam brought us Basil Hayden Toast, or something like it. Though with all the experimentation they’ve been doing with the Basil Hayden line, I’m not surprised and it does seem like a […]

The post Basil Hayden Toast Review appeared first on The Whiskey Jug.

Seems like everyone is doing a toasted barrel bourbon these days, so I guess it was only a matter of time before Jim Beam brought us Basil Hayden Toast, or something like it. Though with all the experimentation they’ve been doing with the Basil Hayden line, I’m not surprised and it does seem like a good fit for what the brand has become. Though I am surprised about its mash bill.

Basil Hayden Toast Review

BH Toast isn’t just the addition of a toasted barrel to finish the whiskey in, it’s a whole new mash bill that removes the rye and substitutes it for brown rice. I.e., this release is not just Old Grand-Dad finished in another barrel and proofed down to 80%, it’s an entirely new beast.

Will this rice-infused toasted barrel whiskey be a beauty or a beast? Let’s get to drinkin’ and find out.


Basil Hayden Toast – Details and Tasting Notes

 

Whiskey Details

Natural Color

Style: Bourbon (Straight)
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Jim Beam

Mash Bill: 63% Corn, 27% Brown Rice, 10% Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak, Toasted Oak
Age: 4+ Years
ABV: 40%

Basil Hayden Toast Price: $45*

Related Whiskey

Jim Beam Brown Rice Harvest Bourbon
Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
Basil Hayden’s Bourbon 10 Years
Basil Hayden’s Two By Two Rye
Basil Hayden’s Rye

White background tasting shot with the Basil Hayden Toast sample bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.
“The latest permanent release from Basil Hayden® consists of an entirely new brown rice mashbill and a secondary finish in toasted barrels.” – Jim Beam

Basil Hayden Toast Tasting Notes

EYE
Gold

NOSE
Toasted marshmallows, Banana’s Foster, dried fruit, dried corn and a touch of nuts.

Light and sweet aroma with a slightly nutty undertone that pulls it together.

PALATE
Banana’s Foster, toasted mallows, coconut, dried fruit, honey, nuts and a light spice.

There is a slightly earthy note to it, but outside of that undertone it’s pretty light and sweet.

FINISH
Short -> Banana’s Foster, coconut and baking spice flash out.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Ok balance, light body and a thin, watery body.


Basil Hayden Toast – Overall Thoughts and Score

The entire premise of the regular Basil Hayden is to proof down Old Grand-Dad, put it in a fancy bottle, 2-3x the price and market it as a premium smooth whiskey. Even when it carried an 8-year age statement it was still pretty darn light, but it did have a nice bit of rye spice to it… and now they’ve removed that rye spice.

There isn’t much oak to speak of, and what’s there is ethereal and wispy and comes across like a slightly more bold Light Whiskey. Which begs the question… who is the target for this? People who think the standard BH has too much flavor?

Nothing is off, nothing is bad, nothing is terrible, the Basil Hayden Toast is just painfully boring and light without at least being interesting or a good cocktail mixer; it was covered up immediately and disappeared into the Basin Street. If I were to buy any of the current line it would be the Basil Hayden 10 years, though honestly, I’d still take the OGD 114 over that… if I could find it.

SCORE: 2.5/5 (average, drinkable, possible minor flaws – C+ | 77-79)

*Disclosure: The sample for this bourbon review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.

Basil Hayden Toast Label

Basil Hayden Toast Review $45
Overall
2.5
  • Nose
    (2.5)
  • Palate
    (2.5)
  • Finish
    (2.5)
  • BBF
    (2.5)
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