Background

I’ll start by saying I owe Basil Hayden’s bourbon. This was my gateway bourbon, and I have no trouble admitting. Thinking myself a sophisticated young twenty-something, I bought the classy looking Basil Hayden bourbon. I would then sip the robust 80 proof bourbon on ice, probably call it smooth, and consider myself having an elevated experience over my usual alcohol diet of Labatt Blue Lights (it was Upstate New York).

But then I started to branch out, try new things. Tastier things, higher proof things (important to again reiterate that higher proof does not automatically = tastier), and Basil Hayden got left behind along with all of its newer line additions. Basil Hayden’s Toast had this weird moment in the sun, but I looked at its 80 proof and turned my nose up. Who can keep up with every new line extension? Why spend time on this watered down entry line I snobbishly thought. Well, it’s time to return to my roots with Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish, let’s get into it!

Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish (NAS, 80 Proof)

Nose: Yeah, you get some sort of finish on the nose. a delicate, floral red fruit note with a bit of cherry cola, and a hint of oak. It’s reasonably inviting.

Palate: The palate is very light, with cherry notes closer to blossoms than the actual fruit. There's a honey-like texture cut with toasted oak.

Finish: The finish hangs around a little longer than you’d expect at 80 proof, offering candied apples and a consistent note of lightly toasted oak. It’s a little dry, a commonality I find in many red wine finishes.

Sub-par (4/10)

Overall: Is it mean to say I expected worse? It’s certainly drinkable but a little unexciting and somewhat dry. It’s hard not to wonder if the proof is a bit of a double-edged sword. The obvious perspective on an 80-proof whiskey is that the flavors are somewhat watered down, and some of that is definitely going on here. But I also wonder if the proof does the finish some favors, causing more floral notes to pop that would have otherwise been overshadowed by the overwhelmingly dry red wine. I’d be extremely curious to try this at different proof points because my hunch is that cask strength would not be the right way to go.