Basil Hayden Released a New Cognac Cask-Finished Bourbon
The Jim Beam Small Batch Collection includes four whiskeys: Booker’s, Baker’s, Knob Creek, and Basil Hayden. The latter stands out for being bourbon made from the distillery’s high-rye recipe that is always bottled at 80 proof, the minimum level legally required for American whiskey. Some more experimental releases have joined the lineup over the years as well, the latest of which is the new Cognac Cask Reserve, which was finished in casks previously used to mature that quintessentially French spirit.
Basil Hayden has been and apparently always will be an 80-proof whiskey, unlike its siblings: Booker’s is bottled at barrel proof, Knob Creek is mostly bottled at 100 proof, and Baker’s clocks in even higher at 107 proof. That’s why some people love the brand and others don’t care for it—it’s mostly considered to be more of an entry-level whiskey that can be used to make cocktails but still has a burst of flavor due to the higher percentage of rye in the mashbill.
As mentioned before, the James B. Beam Distilling Co. team, led by eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe, has added some innovations to the lineup over the years. Those include Toast, Subtle Smoke, Dark Rye, and Red Wine Cask Finish. Cognac Cask Reserve was created with similar intention, to “explore what’s possible within the category,” according to Noe. “This expression was thoughtfully crafted to deliver a distinctive yet approachable experience,” he said in a statement. “French Cognac casks let us take our Basil Hayden signature profile that people know and love and put a twist on it, and we’re incredibly proud to share it with bourbon and Cognac drinkers alike.”
The bourbon does not carry an age statement, but it was likely matured for somewhere between six and eight years. Then it was finished in French oak Cognac casks which were previously used to mature that spirit for between 20 and 25 years. We reached out to a rep for the brand to find out how long the secondary maturation lasted, but—as is often the case in the whiskey world—it was pretty tight-lipped about this step for some reason, and just provided the following statement: “Each Basil Hayden expression is artfully crafted, with our master distilling team applying their expertise at every step and patiently aging each liquid until it reaches its fullest potential.” The end result is still recognizably Basil Hayden, with signature Jim Beam nut and toasted oak flavors, as well notes of vanilla, caramel, spiced fruit, and apple cinnamon on the palate.
Basil Hayden Cognac Cask Reserve is available starting this month from select retailers (SRP $50), as well as at websites like Total Wine.
