Basil Hayden Toast Review
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
80 Proof
SRP $49.99
Please enjoy our Basil Hayden Toast Review
Basil Hayden Toast is a completely new bourbon from Beam Suntory, and a permanent addition to the Basil Hayden line. In fact, Basil Hayden has been rebranded to be more upscale. Beam-Suntory dropped the “s” from the name (the brand was called Basil Hayden’s) and upgraded the packaging, which I think looks pretty nice.
The Toast mashbill uses brown rice instead of the rye used in “regular” Basil Hayden bourbon. So, the mashbill should be: 63% corn, 27% brown rice and 10% malted barley. As an aside, the traditional Basil Hayden mashbill is also presumably used for Old Grand Dad bourbon, and Old Grand Dad, coincidently, is Basil Hayden (actually Meredith Basil Hayden, Sr.). But you probably knew that already. Anyways… after its normal barrel aging, the bourbon is finished in toasted then flash charred barrels (hence the name). Finally, the finished bourbon is then blended with unfinished brown rice bourbon that was aged in char 4 barrels, to make the final product.
Tasting Notes
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 5 & 15 minutes in a Glencairn
👉🏻Nose: Sweet cherry, as in candy cherry, not real cherry🍒; baking spices, caramel and honey; cinnamon and light anise; light alcohol burn.
👉🏻Taste: Simple syrup sweetness, black tea, light caramel, cinnamon & baking spices.
👉🏻Finish: Light char, cinnamon & black pepper; Sweetness continues. Mild burn. Moderately long but mild finish.
This definitely has to be your first bourbon of the morning,…err….day (I won’t judge😊) if you are going to appreciate the flavors. One of the times I tasted this I first had a few sips of Evan Williams BiB, my standard palate calibrating bourbon. The flavors in the Toast were very muted after that. The other two times, the Toast was my first bourbon, and it had much more flavor. It also doesn’t do well with the extended breathing time that I usually use.
Summary
Basil Hayden Toast is not like any other toasted barrel or double oaked whiskey that I have had. There are none of those rich barrel notes that I would normally expect. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad. It’s perfectly fine and easy to drink. It just didn’t deliver on what I was expecting with the name “Toast” on the label. I could easily enjoy this bourbon outside on a hot summer day, and it joins the ranks of ones that I would recommend for someone who is starting out in bourbon or who prefers lower proof offerings. However, if you are expecting flavors along the lines of Michter’s Toasted or Woodford Double Oaked, you would be better off buying those whiskeys. I also think the price is a little high for an 80 proof bourbon.
.
Have you had Basil Hayden Toast? What did you think? Cheers!🥃
I hope you have enjoyed our Basil Hayden Toast review! Check out our Jim Beam Bonded and Old Tub Bourbon Reviews next!
Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us?🙂 If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!