141: Jim Beam Small Batch Collection and Basil Hayden Bourbon

09/20/21 • 51 min

We are joined by Tim Heuisler, American Whiskey Ambassador for Beam Suntory, to discuss the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection of Whiskey. We taste through the lineup of Basil Hayden and talk about all things Beam. A big thanks to Beam Suntory for allowing us to try the lineup.

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers, Scott, Jake, & Michael Bourbon Lens

About Basil Hayden®

Crafted in 1992 by Booker Noe as part of the Small Batch collection, Basil Hayden introduced a more subtle side of bourbon compared to its counterparts. Inspired by bourbons with high-rye mash bills, Booker set out to create a bourbon that would offer an approachable taste profile and defy preconceived bourbon perceptions. Basil Hayden Bourbon welcomes new drinkers into whiskey and showcases new occasions to drink it. Beyond its flagship Basil Hayden Bourbon, the brand has pushed the boundaries of innovation in recent years. These intriguing offerings have included expressions such as Basil Hayden Dark Rye, Basil Hayden 10 Year, the limited time release of Basil Hayden 10 Year Rye Whiskey and Basil Hayden Toast.

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker's Mark bourbon brands, Suntory whisky Kakubin and Courvoisier cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek, Basil Hayden and Legent bourbon; Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Toki Japanese whisky; Teacher's, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whisky; Canadian Club whisky; Hornitos and Sauza tequila; EFFEN, Haku and Pinnacle vodka; Sipsmith and Roku gin; and On The Rocks Premium Cocktails.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com

Basil Hayden® Toast is the new permanent super-premium bourbon expression for the brand. This uniquely crafted 80 proof whiskey consists of an entirely new mash bill. In lieu of traditional rye grain, Basil Hayden Toast is made using US-grown brown rice, which adds a hint of sweetness and a touch less spice with increased depth of flavor that comes from secondary aging in a toasted then flash-charred oak barrel.

Rather than charring the barrel with open flame, the toasting process exposes the barrel to a long and gentle heat. The softer notes from the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey receive the flavors from the toasted barrels, which is then blended back with non-Toasted bourbon to add complex flavor grounded in sweet vanilla, complemented by rich roasted notes – ideal to be sipped and savored neat, on the rocks, or stirred into your favorite aperitif-style cocktail with close company.

TASTING NOTES

COLOR: Dark amber
AROMA: Toasted oak complemented by dried fruit and caramelized sugar
TASTE: Toasted wood and vanilla with a light mouthfeel
FINISH: Sweet caramel
PRICING: $49.99
PROOF: 80 (40% ABV)
AVAILABLE: 8/2/21

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers, Scott, Jake, & Michael Bourbon Lens

About Basil Hayden®

About Beam Suntory Inc.

TASTING NOTES

COLOR: Dark amber
AROMA: Toasted oak complemented by dried fruit and caramelized sugar
TASTE: Toasted wood and vanilla with a light mouthfeel
FINISH: Sweet caramel
PRICING: $49.99
PROOF: 80 (40% ABV)
AVAILABLE: 8/2/21

Previous Episode

140: These Are "Must Buy" Decade Old Kentucky Bourbons

Jake and Scott sit back down in the Office and blind taste two 10 year old Kentucky Bourbons. This week, we’ve cracked open a bottle of Russell’s Reserve 10 Year from Wild Turkey and Eagle Rare from Buffalo Trace Distillery. How do they match up? Are these great value bourbons for their age? We discuss this and more on this week’s episode. What is your favorite 10 year age-stated bourbon?

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers, Scott, Jake, & Michael Bourbon Lens

Show Links:

Next Episode

142: What is Driving the Texas Whiskey Boom?

Texas Whiskey is a growing category looking to make its mark in the world of American Whiskey and Kentucky Bourbon. We’re joined by Nico Martini, who just published his book Texas Whiskey, an ever-evolving chronicle and guidebook of the “history” and people of Texas Whiskey. Nico is also co-founder of Grayson Whiskey, author of Texas Cocktails, and a lover of all things Texas. Grayson Whiskey is a blend of Texas bourbon and wheat whiskies and just hit the shelves only a few months ago after a successful launch.

In this episode, we taste Grayson Texas Blended Bourbon Batch 1, which is coming in at 3 years old and 119.4 proof. Batch 1 contains whiskey from Ironroot Republic Distilling, Balcones Distilling, and Five Points Distilling, the makers of Lone Elm Whiskey. As you’ll hear in the episode, after selling out Batch 1, Grayson will release Batch 1B in October 2020. Batch 1B will contain the same distilleries and same percentage blend as the original batch, but some variation is expected. On March 2, 2022, Grayson will release Batch 2, featuring 4 distilleries; with the addition of Still Austin.

A huge thank you to Nico Martini for the opportunity to try the whiskey, check out his book, and to Cider Mill Press for the review copy of the book.

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers, Scott, Jake, & Michael Bourbon Lens

The Story of Grayson Whiskey:

Texas in a bottle. Our goal was to create a bourbon that blended some of the best whiskeys in our state, in a way that had never been done before. For us, Texas whiskey is the epitome of innovation and in Grayson, we honor the diversity and creativity of our great state. Grayson embodies the spirit of Texas in both your glass and in your soul. Grayson is bold, brazen, bona fide, and, above all else, uniquely Texan. We hope that the beginning of our story can be a highlight in yours. Grayson tonight, Texas forever. Cheers, y’all.

Our goal from the beginning was to highlight the work of some of the best distillers in the great state of Texas in a collaboration that truly represents our home. The first step was to reach out to The Likirish Brothers, Robert and Jonathan, at Ironroot Republic Distilling, because we knew they were blending some of the best whiskey in Texas. After long discussions about what was important to us about whiskey, which flavors profiles we were most interested in, and a discussion of the myriad of ways to achieve the flavor we were looking for, Jonathan then took our ideas and he started developing different paths to our version of Texas in a bottle.

About the Whiskey:

Grayson is a blend of straight Texas whiskeys. When we began to search for the distilleries we, both, wanted to work with and believed could add the layers of complexity we were hoping for. Batch one of Grayson contains some of our favorite Texas distilleries, including Ironroot Republic Distilling, Balcones Distilling, and Five Points Distilling, the makers of Lone Elm Whiskey. Grayson is a blend of 100% straight whiskies that are 100% Texan. Jonathan began creating a series of sample blends of carefully selected single barrels that accentuated specific flavors in each distillery's whiskey. We worked with our distillery partners to hand select every barrel that has gone into this batch. There were barrels selected that were up to 7 years old but everything in Grayson is at least 3 years. We then sought to integrate and balance the overall blend while maintaining the flavors we curated initially. Then, the whiskey was vatted and allowed to marry for a few months prior to bottling.

With the help of some incredible friends, we hand labeled and hand bottled Grayson in late March. It’s a labor of love, for sure, but it’s also worth every bit of effort.

Tasting Notes from Grayson: