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Basil Hayden’s vs Larceny Small Batch
Basil Hayden’s and Larceny Small Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Basil Hayden’s | Larceny Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 92 proof (46% ABV) +12 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$25 – $32 ~$13 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.
Larceny Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Basil Hayden’s Larceny Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/2 spice: Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 2 out of 10
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 8 out of 10
oak 3/4 oak: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 4 out of 10
heat 2/3 heat: Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Larceny Small Batch: Heaven Hill's everyday wheater and the most affordable way into the style. Soft honey and butterscotch with almost no spice, and a texture that makes the low price hard to argue with.
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 Larceny Small Batch if you want an easy, sweet, genuinely inexpensive wheated bourbon at a lower price point and with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s); neat, rocks, cocktails (Larceny Small Batch).