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Angel’s Envy vs Basil Hayden’s
Angel’s Envy and Basil Hayden’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, classically built craft style versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Angel’s Envy | Basil Hayden’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 86.6 proof (43.3% ABV) +7 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$38 – $45 ~$9 less |
- Angel’s Envy and Basil Hayden’s do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Angel’s Envy
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Basil Hayden’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Angel’s Envy Basil Hayden’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 8/5 sweetness: Angel’s Envy 8 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Angel’s Envy 4 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10
oak 5/3 oak: Angel’s Envy 5 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
fruit 7/5 fruit: Angel’s Envy 7 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
heat 3/2 heat: Angel’s Envy 3 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Angel’s Envy 3 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Angel’s Envy: Finished in port barrels, which pushes it well away from the traditional bourbon template toward berry and raisin sweetness. Divisive among purists and extremely popular with everyone else.
- Basil Hayden’s: Built on the high-rye Old Grand-Dad mash but bottled at just 80 proof, which makes it the lightest thing in the Beam range by a distance. Peppery and herbal, but very thin — the price reflects the packaging more than the liquid.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Angel’s Envy if you want an overtly fruity, port-finished bourbon that breaks from the traditional profile on purpose with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Basil Hayden’s if you want an unusually light, peppery, low-proof pour and you do not want any weight in the glass at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Angel’s Envy); neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s).