Compare
Basil Hayden’s vs Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Basil Hayden’s and Wild Turkey Rare Breed sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Basil Hayden’s | Wild Turkey Rare Breed |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 116 proof (58% ABV) +36 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$38 – $45 ~$9 less | ~$45 – $55 |
- 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.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Good flavor.
Flavor Profile
Basil Hayden’s Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 2/8 heat: Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
oak 3/8 oak: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
spice 6/8 spice: Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10
sweetness 5/6 sweetness: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 6 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10, Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 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.
- Wild Turkey Rare Breed: Barrel-proof Wild Turkey at a price that still looks like a mistake. Everything the 101 does with considerably more force, and one of the most consistently praised bottles in its category.
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 slightly lower price point.
- Go with Wild Turkey Rare Breed if you want barrel-proof spice and oak with a reputation to match, at half what comparable bottles cost with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s); neat, old-fashioned (Wild Turkey Rare Breed).