Company: Beam Suntory
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Region: Frankfurt, Kentucky
Aging: Basil Hayden was originally aged 8 years, but in 2014, the age statement changed to “Artfully aged” which means that there is no guarantee on how long it has been aged
ABV: 40% ABV
Proof: 80 Proof
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Rye
Non-Chill Filtered: No
MSRP Price: $60
Basil Hayden Malted Rye Tasting Notes
Appearance: Golden Honey
Nose: Sweet honey, floral notes, malt, light fruits, crisp green apple, candied apricot, vanilla, cinnamon, anise seed, baking spice
Palate: Grassy, floral, honey, malt, rye spice, white pepper, light fruits, cinnamon apple, clove
Finish: Smooth easy finish that leaves you with malty grain and rye spice layered with light fruits and a white pepper spice on the tail end
Is Basil Hayden Malted Rye Approachable?
Basil Hayden Malted Rye is a very approachable whiskey.
It has a lot of flavor and leans heavily into the malted rye flavor paired with sweet honey, light fruits, and floral notes.
I think this is a unique whiskey that both beginners and experienced whiskey drinkers will enjoy and appreciate.
Is Basil Hayden Malted Rye Complex?
Basil Hayden Malted Rye has a few layers of flavor and complexity.
The nose is quite floral with heavy notes of malt, sweet honey, and light fruits.
There are very few whiskeys that I have reviewed that have a similar nose to this one – maybe the New Riff Malted Rye may be the closest to it.
On the palate, you get a lot of the same floral, light fruit, and sweet honey notes with an additional layer of malt, rye spice, and pepper that really round out the flavor profile.
The finish is extremely smooth.
This is easily a whiskey that anyone can enjoy.
What are Basil Hayden Malted Rye’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Basil Hayden Malted Rye’s strongest attributes would be how floral and aromatic the whiskey is.
Right from the start you are met with rich floral notes that partner extremely well with the light fruit flavors.
There are also very grassy and rye spice flavors that complement each other extremely well.
Is Basil Hayden Malted Rye a go-to whiskey?
Basil Hayden Malted Rye could easily be a go-to whiskey if you don’t mind spending $60 on bottles of whiskey.
The flavors are really enjoyable and the finish is so smooth that I could easily see myself going through this bottle pretty quickly.
Is Basil Hayden Malted Rye priced accurately to its quality?
Basil Hayden Malted Rye delivers on its price tag.
Out of all the bottles of Basil Hayden
At the $60 price point, I think this bottle offers a unique combination of flavors that work extremely well together.
Conclusion for Basil Hayden Malted Rye
When it comes to the Basil Hayden whiskey lineup, I have been a fan of some and would pass on others.
I have written a Complete Basil Hayden Whiskey Review where I cover all my favorite bottles from Basil Hayden and this bottle would definitely make it near the top of the list.
Prior to this bottle from Basil Hayden, my favorites were Basil Hayden 10 Year followed by Basil Hayden Dark Rye, then Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish.
What I like most about Basil Hayden is that many of their whiskeys don’t follow your traditional flavor profiles and offer a unique expression of the category they represent.
This bottle is a unique expression of a malted rye whiskey just like the Basil Hayden Dark Rye offers a completely unique flavor profile in the rye whiskey category.
If you’re a fan of Basil Hayden or Malted Rye Whiskey, definitely pick this bottle up.
Even if you’re not familiar with either, I think this is a bottle that everyone will enjoy.
And I always mention in my Basil Hayden review… if you’re looking to impress your friends at a dinner party, Basil Hayden is always a winner because they always do an excellent job with the bottle design and packaging.
Let Us Know What You Think
Feel free to enjoy our Complete Basil Hayden Line Up Comprehensive Review where we review every bottle from Basil Hayden and break down which bottles we enjoy most.
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Thanks for reading and cheers!
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