Marketing Drivel:
It's clear that while I took a break from the Project to find my sailboat/home/escape, the marketing departments continued apace. Sad - but who's really surprised? Not you, right? This expensive Hayden Bourbon at just 40% was promoted with three others - Knob Creek, Booker's and Baker's - all at least a solid and tasty 50%. My research found that this Hayden was designed as a gateway to three better bourbons, but at a lower proof and higher price? Really? Apparently Beam Suntory thinks we all just fell of the turnip truck and can be swayed by the horrible tricked out bottle that comes with a faux aged paper cape, an encircling wooden waistband - wait, I'm not done - which is subsequently girdled with a faux copper strap, which features - urp - a faux riveted toy metal "b" and "H". I'm not kidding. It's what a bottle looks like on an Ayahuasa retreat, lol. Without the Christmas Tree decorations, the bottle is just ordinary, with the now typical thick, heavy clear bottom.Basil Hayden’s Bourbon is one of four bourbons that comprise Jim Beam’s Small Batch Bourbon Collection. The others are Knob Creek, Baker’s Bourbon, and Booker’s Bourbon. Basil Hayden’s falls first in line proof-wise at 80 proof. While the other three bourbons in the Small Batch Collection all share the same mashbill of 77% corn, 13% rye, and 10% malted barley, Basil Hayden’s is created using Jim Beam’s high-rye mashbill that is found in Old Grand-Dad and Old Grand-Dad 114.
As expected of all "good" marketing mavens, there are references to the company's establishment in 1796, and name drops "GEORGE WASHINGTON and "PRESIDENT", yes in all caps, along with "BASIL HAYDEN" and "AMERICA'S". I'm not sure what this tells you about what they think of the bourbon buying public, but it tells me plenty about the experience to come. Pure marketing.
An open minded review:
If the juice lived up to the hype, one would expect a premium tasting experience in addition to the spending experience. Now when it comes to bottles, I'll take an old classic MGXO bottle or something like Old Pulteney 12 year anytime. These are classic and just drip the feeling of tradition, history and sorry, confidence in a product with value. Basil Hayden presents as light amber, and clearly chill-filtered. Quick thin tears, no apparent green line of age. Apparently the company implies this "Small Batch" bourbon is 8 years old, but without an age statement, once can only count on the minimum legal age of bourbon.
The unwatered Basil Hayden opens freshly with a vanilla wafer/frosting, white grapefruit, mint, a lightly pleasant wisp of orange honey, medium fruits and deep nose of wood and a prickle. The palate arrival with a clean, light and sweet banana (not ripe), followed by an inconsistent and light bitter orange, followed by a touch - a touch - of leather, yes the rye. The finish is an astringent, new woody, medium white pepper ending. Short finish and see ya later. After a few sips the addition of minimal water killed the dram. Don't!
In sum, this one falls into the gift giving category, useful for display. You'll be long gone before the bottle is opened, no worries. This one is all about marketing to new drinkers with less experience than money. As a bourbon, it' s all there - somewhere - but you have to hunt for it. At half the price, I might have been able to ignore the tricked out bottle and handed out an average rating, but... I just can't. Basil Hayden’s Straight Bourbon has an interesting nose, but then leaves the reservation; inconsistent and imbalanced. You can do so much better for so much less.
Rating (10 is best): 6 (7 at a fair price).
*******
Capn's Log: I could not believe more strongly that an honest review can only be achieved when you buy your own bottles, and suffer the same disappointment or enjoyment of those who will read the review and buy. This bottle was an honest gift from a neighbor (thank you!), but had exactly nothing to do with either a distributor, ambassador or distiller. Nada.
