There are people around here in the Indianapolis area who say it is just too hot right now to drink whiskey. Fortunately, we don’t know any of them. So today we are braving the heat with a glass of Basil Hayden Dark Rye. This Rye, from Jim Beam, is a blend of Kentucky rye, Canadian rye, and a bit of port wine. So instead of the trend of extra aging in used wine barrels, Beam just mixed the wine right in the juice. Seems like cheating, lol. But the distillery is big on this stuff, from their website: “Full in flavor, yet delicately nuanced, you’d be wise to grab a bottle of our Dark Rye to experience this magical blend for yourself.”
Not a lot to be said about this rye, no age statement, and no mash bill. We are not really sure of its availability, but it is 80 proof, sells for $40, and comes in the same-looking corked bottle as the rest of the Basil line.
Well, this is not looking good. We are not big fans of Canadian whiskey, nor big fans of most ports. And the thought of the wine thrown in with the ryes just doesn’t sound all that appealing. But who knows, we will keep an open mind and hopefully it proves us wrong.
NOSE
TB: We are bit divided on this, we all get rye, caramel, and wood, but after that some get more fruit and sweetness while others get a sour smell. Some pick up the port while others don’t. Ice didn’t change the aroma much.
TASTE
TB: Like the nose, we are a bit divided, we all get wood, caramel, nuts, and all thought the rye was either very weak or non-existent. But from there, some get cocoa, some get bread, some get toffee, while some pick up the wine. One even gets ripe mulberry, which the rest didn’t think they had ever tasted. Ice didn’t do much, just made the drink weaker.
FINISH
TB: Medium, sweet, and on the lighter side.
OVERALL
TB: As to be expected, one of us was not sure, one thought he liked it, and the last wanted more.
We are going to skip our usual point grading here because we had too wide of opinions and it would skew the results. Safe to say, at only $40, this is probably something you want to try yourself. It is very different, but if you are looking for a rye, you will be disappointed because it does not taste like one. Not saying you will not like it, but it will not be for everyone.
In the end, 2 out of 3 of us liked it, and as they say 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. Basil Hayden Dark Rye is very unique, and that alone should be a reason to try it. And if, for some reason, you don’t like it, well, we have a couple of people here who will take it off your hands.