Beam Suntory Introduces Basil Hayden Toast

Beam Suntory brand Basil Hayden's has announced the launch of Basil Hayden Toast. This new spirit includes a new mash bill that includes brown rice instead of the traditional rye grain and is made with toasted barrels. 

For those new to bourbon, char refers to the amount of flame and char that the wood takes on. The thought is that the more char a barrel has, the more it will influence the taste of the bourbon because the liquid will take on the characteristics of the char. So with that, a toasted char is on the lighter side. You can learn way more than you ever needed to know about char by checking out this link. 

Eighth generation Beam family distiller, Freddie Noe says of the Basil Hayden Toast: 

Basil Hayden Toast is truly a whiskey for fans of all taste and experience levels to share. When my grandfather Booker Noe first made Basil Hayden, his intention was always to create bourbon that opened people's minds to what bourbon can be. Inspired by his mission, I've spent many years working to produce a new bourbon that speaks to this sense of discovery. The unexpected addition of brown rice, as well as the toasted barrel finish of Basil Hayden Toast does just that. It delivers an intriguing avenue into the warm and memorable bourbon sipping occasion. I encourage you to raise a toast with friends to this exciting addition to the Basil Hayden family!

Per the press release, the brown rice is supposed to 'impart a hint of sweetness and a touch less spice' while a secondary toasted barrel finish draws out notes of caramelized sugar and toasted wood.' After the initial aging in the toasted barrel, the toasted brown rice bourbon is blended back with more brown rice bourbon, which has been rested in level four char barrels, to achieve a final product. So to summarize, the bourbon is aged in a toasted barrel, then mixed with a different bourbon that was aged in a more charred barrel to create the final product. 

This is a permanent release in the Basil Hayden portfolio. Basil Hayden Toast comes in at 80 proof (40% alcohol), will be available nationwide, and carries an MSRP of $49.99 for a 750ml bottle. The tasting notes are:

Nose - Toasted oak complemented by dried fruit and caramelized sugar

Taste - Toasted wood and vanilla with a light mouthfeel

Finish - Sweet caramel

My Take

I'm really excited about this release. I love the idea of trying brown rice instead of rye and I'm always a fan of trying new barrel char combinations. $50 seems reasonable for something unique. The downside with all the Basil Hayden's is that they come in at 80 proof, which is a bit less than most bourbons I tend to gravitate to... for instance, regular Woodford Reserve is 90.4. However, I'm excited to try this and will be picking up a bottle the first time I see it on the shelves. 

What do you think? Drop a note in the comment box below. 

Source: Beam Suntory