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Basil Hayden’s vs Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Basil Hayden’s and Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Basil Hayden’s | Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +20 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$16 – $22 ~$23 less |
- Basil Hayden’s does 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.
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Basil Hayden’s Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/6 oak: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
heat 2/5 heat: Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 4 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.
- Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond: Arguably the best value in all of bourbon: a bonded 100-proof Kentucky whiskey for under twenty dollars. Straightforward vanilla and caramel with just enough oak, and nothing at all to apologise for.
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.
- Go with Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, honest, full-proof Kentucky bourbon for the price of a cocktail.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond).