Basil Hayden's Bourbon Whiskey
Basil Hayden's Bourbon Whiskey is a Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV) by James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, Kentucky — the subtle, lighter-bodied member of Jim Beam's Small Batch Collection, built on a high-rye mash in honour of Basil Hayden Sr. This listing offers all three bottlings: 375mL, 750mL and 1.75L. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 375mL, 750mL and 1.75L bottlings
- Mash bill: High-rye — 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley
- Age: No age statement ("Artfully Aged")
- Style: The subtle, approachable side of bourbon — spicy yet smooth
- Origin: Clermont, Kentucky
The Subtle Side of the Small Batch Collection
Booker Noe created Basil Hayden's in 1992 as one of the four original Small Batch Collection bourbons — deliberately its more subtle, welcoming counterpoint. The name honours Meredith Basil Hayden Sr., the Maryland rye farmer who became a 1792 whiskey pioneer in Kentucky, distilling with an unusually high proportion of rye; Noe rebuilt that high-rye approach for the modern brand, and the bottle still wears its signature metal belt, a nod to barrel hoops. The bourbon carried an 8-year age statement until 2014 and is now bottled without one, at the same 80 proof it has always kept. Its darker sibling is Basil Hayden's Dark Rye; the full range is on the Basil Hayden's vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Per the producer's current notes: a golden brown colour; an aroma of charred oak with sweet vanilla and caramel and hints of dried fruit; a taste of charred oak carried by sweet brown sugar, a touch of black pepper — the rye signature — and dried fruit; and a pleasant, lingering charred-oak finish with a touch of dried fruit.
How to Enjoy
Neat or on the rocks it is the gentlest pour in the Small Batch family; the brand's own cocktail programme leads with an Old Fashioned and a French-75-style serve, both of which suit its lighter body. More Kentucky bourbon is in our bourbon whiskey collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What proof is Basil Hayden's Bourbon?
80 proof — 40% ABV — at every size. Despite occasional online claims of a higher proof, the brand's own product page and state label listings both confirm 80 proof for the current bottling.
What sizes does this listing offer?
Three: 375mL, 750mL and 1.75L, all the same 80-proof bourbon. Choose your size in the variant selector.
Why is Basil Hayden's called high-rye?
Its mash carries roughly twice the rye of a typical bourbon — the brand's tribute to Basil Hayden Sr., who distilled with an unusually high rye proportion in the 1790s. That rye is what gives the bourbon its black-pepper spice over a light body.
Light-bodied, rye-spiced and endlessly pourable — order Basil Hayden's Bourbon online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.