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Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Basil Hayden’s
On paper Blanton’s Single Barrel and Basil Hayden’s are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so price (~$80 – $150 vs. ~$38 – $45) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Blanton’s Single Barrel | Basil Hayden’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) +13 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $150 | ~$38 – $45 ~$74 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Blanton’s Single Barrel and Basil Hayden’s do not publish an official mash bill.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
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Basil Hayden’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Blanton’s Single Barrel Basil Hayden’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 6/3 oak: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
heat 4/2 heat: Blanton’s Single Barrel 4 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Blanton’s Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Blanton’s Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Blanton’s Single Barrel: The bottle that invented the single-barrel category and still trades largely on its horse-stopper cork and its scarcity. The whiskey itself is genuinely good — honeyed and citrus-led with nutmeg spice — but at secondary prices you are paying for the bottle as much as the pour.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Blanton’s Single Barrel if you want the original single-barrel presentation and a honeyed, citrus-led profile, and the hunt is part of the appeal with more proof behind it.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Blanton’s Single Barrel); neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s).