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Basil Hayden’s vs Old Grand-Dad 114
Basil Hayden’s and Old Grand-Dad 114 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Basil Hayden’s | Old Grand-Dad 114 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 114 proof (57% ABV) +34 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 | ~$28 – $35 ~$10 less |
- Basil Hayden’s and Old Grand-Dad 114 do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Old Grand-Dad 114
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Basil Hayden’s Old Grand-Dad 114
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 2/8 heat: Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 8 out of 10
spice 6/9 spice: Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 9 out of 10
oak 3/6 oak: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Old Grand-Dad 114: The best proof-per-dollar in American whiskey and it is not especially close. The 27% rye mash at 114 proof is loud, peppery and completely unsubtle, which is exactly why it makes such a good old-fashioned.
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 Old Grand-Dad 114 if you want maximum rye spice and proof for under thirty dollars.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad 114).