Calling all cherry lovers – Basil Hayden Dark Rye is for you.
In the last few years, Basil Hayden has been making some serious money moves. For years, Basil Hayden has been the entry-level member of the Jim Beam Small Batch collection. Up against Knob Creek, Booker’s, and Baker’s, Basil Hayden had the lowest proof and the lightest flavor. But with its consistency and approachability, it still managed to hold its own for years. Recently, though, Basil Hayden has had quite the rebrand.
Not only have the bottles been redesigned, but since 2017 Basil Hayden has squeezed out half of a dozen new product lines, each focused on a new kind of finish. To date, there’s been a toasted barrel finish (Toast), a smoke infused concoction (Smoke), and even a red wine cask finished product. But it all started with the Dark Rye expression.
First released in 2017, Basil Hayden Dark Rye was the first permanent, new “line extension” from the brand. The Dark Rye is actually a blend of Kentucky Rye, Canadian Rye, and California Port. Although Basil Hayden has yet to share any details about the percentage of the blend, they have made it clear that the port is added directly into the blend. (Luckily for them, additions like this are perfectly legal with rye whiskey). The result of all this blending? Cherry, cherry, and more cherry. In fact, cherries are the predominant smell, flavor, finish, vibe, you name it, of this whiskey. The customary spice and punch you’d look for and hope for in a rye are completely absent, giving the cherries full custody of the rye. Plus, with a thin texture and rather low proof, the cherry flavor still struggles to make a strong impression throughout the sip and only manages a subtle and underwhelming finish. Since port was poured right into the blend, it’s no surprise that the resulting rye whiskey is fruit-forward, but it’s sadly to a fault.
As more trends in bourbon appear and the rye whiskey world expands, consumers have come to expect small batches, single barrels, high age statements, fun finishes, and above all else – variety. In all the competition, it’s easy to understand how even an established brand like Basil Hayden has started to release new, trendy expressions like Dark Rye. But if you’re going to do a trend – do it right. Finishing the rye in a port barrel, for example, rather than drowning it in fresh port could have imparted a richer, more complex flavor.
Instead, Basil Hayden Dark Rye neither feels like port or rye, but just a rushed attempt to get a new trend to market. For cherry lovers looking to splurge, Basil Hayden Dark Rye is just for you, but rye whiskey enthusiasts should look elsewhere.
STATS: Basil Hayden Dark Rye Whiskey
- Price for us: $40 for 750 mL
- Proof: 80
- Aged: NAS
- Distillery: Basil Hayden, owned by Beam Suntory
- Recommendation: Mixer
