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Wild Turkey Rare Breed vs Basil Hayden’s
Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Basil Hayden’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Wild Turkey Rare Breed | Basil Hayden’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 116 proof (58% ABV) +36 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$38 – $45 ~$9 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
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Good flavor.
Basil Hayden’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Basil Hayden’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/2 heat: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10
oak 8/3 oak: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
spice 8/6 spice: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 8 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 6 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 4 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Wild Turkey Rare Breed); neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s).