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Basil Hayden’s vs Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13
Basil Hayden’s and Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Basil Hayden’s | Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 8 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 110.8 proof (55.4% ABV) +31 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 ~$99 less | ~$130 – $150 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Basil Hayden’s and Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 do not publish an official mash bill.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
Basil Hayden’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Basil Hayden’s Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/7 oak: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 7 out of 10
heat 2/6 heat: Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 6 out of 10
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 8 out of 10
fruit 5/8 fruit: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 8 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13: Bardstown's annual blend of older sourced bourbons. Rich and dessert-like, with creme brulee, toffee and dark fruit over peppery oak.
Which One Should You Choose?
- 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 significantly lower price point.
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13 if you want a rich, dessert-like annual blend of older Kentucky bourbons with significantly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s); neat (Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #13).