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