Basil Hayden's Small Batch Bourbon

Basil Hayden's Small Batch Bourbon, 8yo, standard bottle, no box but a metal band around the middle that holds the label, 80 proof, about $25-30.


I stayed home today because we were having new windows put in. I could have bought a car for what these cost :angry: Did work around the house like cleaning gutters and prepping the garden for winter. After the workmen left for the day I kicked back and poured some of Mr. Hayden's bourbon in my glass.

This is very light bourbon with almost no kick because it is only 80 proof. The nose is very clean with some rye noticed. Tasting didn't really back up the rye in the nosing; in fact it was pretty non-descript. A little sweetness and vanilla but altogether mostly bland.

I expected vastly more from this bourbon as the others in the "Small Batch Collection" (Booker's, Knob Creek, and Baker's) are all fairly good bourbons. If ever there was a beginner’s bourbon, this is it. Weak neat, it almost disappears over ice or with water. Maybe it is good for a mixed drink that calls for bourbon as one of many ingredients but I doubt even that. Most likely the worst of any small batch bourbon I've ever had. Buy something else for your $28.

Wow. I think this is the first bad review you've given. How'd you get suckered into buying this?

other1 said:

Wow. I think this is the first bad review you've given. How'd you get suckered into buying this?

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AVB said:

I expected vastly more from this bourbon as the others in the "Small Batch Collection" (Booker's, Knob Creek, and Baker's) are all fairly good bourbons.

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It is the second bad bourbon review I've given actually.

I'm no where near as good a bourbon reviewer as AVB is, but I just picked up a bottle of the new Wild Turkey Tribute. It's a special edition to honor the distiller. It's 15 years old, 101 proof, and a true small batch bourbon. It has an amazing deep red color and is the best bourbon I've ever tasted. If you are a bourbon fan I'd pick it up, though it is quite expensive and not easy to find.

Between shelling out the $$$ for the new windows, doing all the work around the house (cleaning gutters is NOT fun), all topped off by bad bourbon, sounds like you had a pretty bad day. Sorry to hear it brother.

Well, that's what tomorrow's are for. Or, better yet, tonight's.

I'm sure I'll find some way to make up for it tonight.

this is great. I was jUst at the liquor store picking up some bourbon, I usually buy Knobb Creek and I saw this one. I decided to pick up the knobb creek instead, and come in here and check to see if you had a review on it.

Well Done!

E

The trick is to read the reviews before you go out to buy.

Gotta say I'm a huge fan of this stuff, hard to pick between knob and basil for me..

I agree! I'm not a fan of this bourbon, not that is bad or gross. It's just really boring!

Some day when I grow up I my find a better bourbon but at 58 I have drank a lot of different scotch and bourbon Basil Hayden is still on top . Of coarse some swill I still have not tried.

eyetat said:

Some day when I grow up I my find a better bourbon but at 58 I have drank a lot of different scotch and bourbon Basil Hayden is still on top . Of coarse some swill I still have not tried.

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Basil Hayden was the first All American basketball player from the University of Kentucky.  His name and jersey hang in the rafters of Rupp Arena.  That's enough for me to give a pass to this one...