Next in our brush with Bourbon informal flight at 1602 Dundas was a bourbon from the Jim Beam stable – part of their small batch bourbons such as Knob Creek. Styled after the mash created by its namesake Basil Hayden, it uses double the rye of a standard Kentucky bourbons.
Image: Beam Suntory
Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon 40%
And what did we find?
- Nose – Resin, herbal, oats, cereals, sweet, honey, woody, treacle
- Palate – Initial ‘yeowch’, then acclimatized to it, revealing some spices
- Finish – There but..
What is fabulous about the world of whisky is the range of styles – something for everyone! However I’ve learned that my palate preferences veer away from both bourbon and rye… Which meant this whisky had a double strike against it as it both is very clearly a bourbon with a higher rye quotient.
What I enjoyed most was the nose – I could keep sniffing it and finding more elements. For me, the kick would be a brilliant dimension in certain cocktails – one where the interesting elements in the nose are given full room to shine with the rye spiciness and character on the palate punching up the drink.
Here’s what the folks over at the LCBO have to say:
The recipe for this classic Bourbon dates back to 1796. Amber in colour; on the nose are notes of dried apricot, caramel, custard, green peppercorn and hay; on the palate it is medium-bodied and warming, with flavours of white pepper, burnt sugar, dried white flowers and vanilla that finishes with a lingering herbal spice.
This bottle was released in February 26, 2015, made in Kentucky, USA by Beam Global Spirits and Wines with a style described as medium & spicy.
While we split a 30 ml shot, it can be purchased at Toronto LCBO for CND $53.95.
Bourbon’s sampled at 1602 Dundas in Toronto in September 2017:
- Black Maple Hill 47.5%
- Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon 40% – This post
- Elmer T Lee Kentucky Bourbon 45%
Other forays into American whiskies from the Beam Suntory family:
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