Bourbon

Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
40% ABV/80 Proof
$30 to $40
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Basil Hayden’s is unequalled in that it utilizes twice as much rye in it as the other bourbons in the Collection. Enriched by a hint of peppermint, it impresses with notes of pepper balanced by slight citrus overtones, and a spicy, warming finish. Aged eight years at a relatively mild 80 proof, Basil Hayden’s has a broad appeal and is equally enjoyable alone or in cocktails such as a Juicy Basil and Basil Bubbly.

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

What Richard Says:
Nose: Herbal, floral, and that signature Old Grand Dad black tea note.
Palate: Vanilla, and that OGD rye spice note but in this it is lighter and cleaner.
Finish: Very dry. I’m talking really dry. Dry like like you want some water or a soda afterward.
Comments: Basil Hayden’s seems to be pretty popular with those new to bourbon. It’s light and easy to drink. This was my wife’s first “favorite bourbon” when I first got her into whiskey. I’m not saying it’s a woman’s bourbon anything like that. However, I do think that it’s not worth twice the money to get this over OGD Bottled In Bond. They put another year or two on the age and watered it down to 40% ABV. It’s still Old Grand Dad, just with a heftier price tag.
Rating: Average

Old Grand-Dad 114 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
57% ABV/114 Proof
$25
Widely Available

What the Distillery Says:
Old Grand-Dad was a distiller named Basil Hayden who made his name by distilling a bourbon whiskey made with a higher percentage of rye. Basil Hayden passed along the art of distilling to his son and then, in turn, to his grandson. It was the third generation distiller, Colonel R.B. Hayden, who honored his grandfather by naming his justly famed
whiskey “Old Grand-Dad.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Alcohol with a hint of wood. Water opens up the nose to black tea notes and reminds me of my grandmother’s sweet tea right before the sugar goes in.
Palate: More viscous than other OGD versions and it comes through all rye heat. Water opens up more corn notes and a little sweetness.
Finish: Surprisingly smooth on the finish even at bottle strength. Rye and oak dominate. The finish on this one doesn’t hold up very well to water. It just disintegrates.
Comments: You pay more for the 114 and you get more alcohol for your money. Beyond that I don’t find much in OGD 114 to make me want to pick it over the Bottled In Bond version.
Rating: Average

Big Bottom Port Cask Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 2 Years
45.5% ABV/91 Proof
$34.99
Available in stores in Oregon and soon to be Georgia, online in additional states

What the Distillery/Bottler Says:
It needed to be a port cask, but not just from any port – a 10 year old Tawny Port from St. Helena, California. With the maturity of the port cask, it needed something that it could tame and compliment, not complicate. A youthful bourbon would suit it well.

Aged 2 years in charred new white oak barrels, this Straight Bourbon whiskey took a few lessons from the mature port cask and the result – a seamless match on the palate creating a long, pleasurable finish.

Non-chilled filtered and proofed at 91°, this bourbon consists of 60% corn, 4% malted barley and 36% rye. This limited production finished bourbon only comes around once in a while. So savor every pour, since it may be a while before you see it again.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Sweet with a meaty/savory kind of note.
Palate: Dark (like 70% cacao) chocolate and dried fruit. The sweeter port notes come through and make the palate very mellow. That rye spice hide more in the background.
Finish: Smooth with just a bit of rye and oak on the finish. Surprisingly much smoother than the standard 3 year old expression.
Comments: The port finishing actually works pretty well here. This is a noticeable improvement over the 3 year old despite being younger. Still, $35 for two year old whiskey is a hard pill to swallow. The flavor is promising but there are still a number of better values out there for the same, or less money.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Ted Pappas for providing us with review samples.