Tony's Whisky Corner: Basil Hayden's 10 Year Rye and Old Tub Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon

With 2 limited edition releases, Jim Beam shows off its soft and robust style of whiskey-making

Jim Beam, the American half of the mighty Beam Suntory conglomerate, isn’t known for resting on its laurels. Brand extensions, reformulations, limited editions and new expressions are always somewhere in the pipeline, whether it’s the planning stages or the bottling process. Two of the newest Beam releases include the oldest-ever rye from Basil Hayden’s and a bottled-in-bond bourbon. They’re both limited editions, so let’s get down to business and have a look — and a taste — while we can.

Basil Hayden’s 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey

Basil Hayden’s bourbon was launched in the early ‘90s as part of Beam’s Small Batch Collection. It staked its claim two ways — its high-rye mashbill produced a distinctively lively, spicy bourbon, but at a mellow 80 proof it wasn’t overwhelming to whiskey newbies. Its purpose seemed to be to usher novices to more sophisticated imbibing.  In the ‘10s, Basil Hayden’s, along with the other brands in the Small Batch Collection, spun off multiple limited edition variations (including the controversial Dark Rye, and the Two by Two Rye, which won a gold medal in the 2018 NY International Spirits Competition). The latest is their 10 Year Old Straight Rye ($70 SRP). There have been several ryes released under the Basil Hayden’s name, but this is the oldest to date, and in fact the only one thus far with an age statement.

Since Basil Hayden’s is known for the rye influence in its bourbon, it makes sense to have a rye under the BH umbrella. But by having its entire range locked in at 40% ABV, the brand is boxing itself into a bit of a corner. Will the fans of easy and approachable 80-proof whiskeys want to spend $70 on a 10 year old rye?  And will the audience that goes for older and rarer whiskeys want to settle for a comparatively “weak” rye? The answer may lie in Beam Suntory’s accounting ledgers, but it also lies in the glass.

And this is a very tasty, enjoyable rye. Sweet notes of vanilla, creme brulée, honey and buttered bread make way for the spicy tingle of the rye and a drying out on the back of the palate, with an elegant, medium-length finish that demands a follow-up sip. It makes a nice Old Fashioned but otherwise it doesn’t quite pull its weight in cocktails, though it’s really intended to be a sipping spirit anyway.  This may be the best Basil Hayden’s expression yet aside from the flagship bourbon, but it elicits the same feeling I usually get when I sip anything of theirs — it’s good, but if they just bumped up the proof a little, it’d be great.

Old Tub Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

There’s a Beam whiskey for everyone, and those for whom Basil Hayden’s is a little on the light side will likely love Old Tub bourbon ($23 SRP), a sort-of new limited edition out this month. Old Tub has been available exclusively at Beam’s Clermont distillery for many years; the only difference between that whiskey and what’s now seeing general release is the size of the bottle, which is 750ml as opposed to the 375s available at the distillery. The bourbon itself is bottled in bond, aged for four years and bottled at 100 proof. It’s said to be a throwback to the earliest Beam whiskeys, which were sold out of the barrel to customers who brought their own jugs to fill. Bottled-in-bond whiskey didn’t exist back then (it became an Official Thing in 1897), but we’ll let that slide.

Old Tub is one of the few Beam expressions that’s non-chill filtered, which will be a source of joy to whiskey enthusiasts who claim that chill filtration results in a thinner, less flavorful final product. Old Tub is big and robust — not the most subtle bourbon you’ll ever taste, but bonded whiskeys aren’t intended for sophisticated tippling. It hits all the marks, with big notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel, and sticks the landing with pleasantly spicy finish. Perfect for mixing, it’s also plenty tasty on the rocks or with a splash of water. And at less than $25 a bottle, it makes a perfect everyday bourbon. Alas, it’s a limited edition, so unless you live near the distillery, where it’ll presumably be available indefinitely, lay in supplies now.