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Basil Hayden’s vs Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend
Basil Hayden’s and Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a sourced, rye-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Basil Hayden’s | Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 101 proof (50.5% ABV) +21 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 ~$124 less | ~$150 – $180 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Basil Hayden’s and Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Basil Hayden’s Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/7 oak: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 7 out of 10
fruit 5/9 fruit: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 9 out of 10
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 8 out of 10
heat 2/5 heat: Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 5 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend 6 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.
- Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend: Older sourced bourbon finished in sherry, Cognac and then Armagnac casks. Dense dried fruit, fig and orange over cigar leaf and charred 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 Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend if you want a fruit-packed, multi-cask-finished bourbon built to go with a cigar.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s); neat (Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend).