Basil Hayden’s Rye Whiskey is hitting shelves nationwide as a new limited-release from the brand best known for its bourbon. Basil Hayden’s Bourbon uses twice as much rye as traditional bourbons, and sports a trademark spicy finish, so this is a natural product extension–especially as more and more brands, including its small batch siblings Knob Creek and Bookers, have gotten into rye over the past several years.
Basil Hayden’s Rye is doing something a little different. They’re going for a distinct and deeper flavor by incorporating a small portion of “re-barreled rye” into the product. The re-barreled rye begins as a four-year-old traditional rye whiskey, which is then dumped out and aged an additional seven years in newly charred, quarter cask oak barrels. Aging in smaller casks means more interaction between the whiskey and the wood, and results in more of that wood influence seeping through into the whiskey’s taste and aroma. In this case, that re-barreled rye is blended with Basil Hayden’s traditional rye to amplify the baking spice and caramel notes.
Basil Hayden’s Rye Whiskey is bottled at 80 proof. It’s available now in limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $44.99. Until you get your hands on a bottle, here are the official tasting notes from the brand.
BASIL HAYDEN’S RYE TASTING NOTES
Color: Golden amber.
Aroma: Warm baking spices and caramel, with hints of wood rye spice.
Taste: Charred oak complemented by sweet brown sugar and dried fruit to round the liquid out.
Finish: Smoke and char notes wrapped in caramel.
