There is no reason why a fan of bourbon should not search out Basil Hayden’s 8 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The spirit is available at pretty much any liquor store that has more than a bare selection, and the quality of the bourbon is such that is immediately surpasses anything else that it can be immediately compared to. While there is the same bright burn that is typically present with any amount of bourbon, Basil Hayden’s has a richness of sugar, spice, and wood that will indelibly imprint itself on the minds of any imbiber lucky enough to try it. While I would suggest sipping Basil Hayden’s, the bourbon will work well in a mint julep or as a straight shot. The unique quality of Basil Hayden’s is such that it can have this versatility without losing any of the quality that imbibers would associate with it. The spice is a thread that continues through all sides of the spirit, no matter whether it is the immediate opening, pouring, placement into snifter or drinking.
The spirit is 80 proof (standard), but it is able to easily mask the alcohol that is present through a rich flavor profile that refuses to give up. At about $35-40 for a bottle, any curiosity that an individual has should immediately be drowned by the sweet amber liquid that issues forth. We’d love to see (and taste) more spirits from the Jim Beam small batch line – here’s to hoping that the company will continue to go through their old recipes and see exactly what is there. Until that point, we will have a bottle of Basil Hayden’s for whenever friends and family can come by – you should too!
Rating: 9.3/10
Basil Hayden’s 8 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Whiskey) / 80 Proof / http://www.jimbeam.com