We are very pleased to announce that Basil Hayden’s  has been selected as our December 2013 Whiskey of the Month. Please see our full review below. Basil Hayden’s is one of the small batch whiskeys from Beam.

Basil Hayden’s
Our Rating: 95%

Name: Basil Hayden

Bottled By: Beam Inc.

ABV: 40%

Proof: 80

Age: 8 Years

Our Rating: 95%

Notes: Basil Hayden’s is a light bodied bourbon. In fact it is the lightest bodied of the the small batch bourbons in the Jim Beam Family. The taste is light, refreshing, but not complex.It has a nice light taste of honey as well as a hint of black pepper. Very simple flavor profile and a nice moderate finish with an exceptional after taste. It is a nice Bourbon for what it is but if you prefer a stronger Bourbon you may want to pass this one up. On the rocks this Bourbon becomes a little light, while it will still maintain its flavor we prefer this one neat.

History: This Bourbon takes its name from Basil Hayden Sr. who was a Maryland Catholic and also a distiller. Hayden Sr. led a group of 25 Catholic families from Maryland to what is now Nelson County, Kentucky in 1785. Hayden donated land to the first Catholic church west of the Alleghenies and the first Catholic church in what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In his mash bill he was known to use a larger amount of rye.