Compare
Yellowstone Select vs Basil Hayden’s
Yellowstone Select and Basil Hayden’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Yellowstone Select | Basil Hayden’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 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 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$38 – $45 |
- Yellowstone Select and Basil Hayden’s do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Yellowstone Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Basil Hayden’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Yellowstone Select Basil Hayden’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/6 spice: Yellowstone Select 4 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 6 out of 10
oak 5/3 oak: Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Yellowstone Select 6 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
heat 3/2 heat: Yellowstone Select 3 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 2 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Yellowstone Select 2 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 3 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10, Basil Hayden’s 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Yellowstone Select: A revived historic brand from Limestone Branch. Light and creamy, with toasted oak, vanilla and peach and a short, peppery finish. Part of the proceeds support Yellowstone National Park.
- 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 Yellowstone Select if you want a light, creamy everyday sipper with a historic name 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 rocks, highball, old-fashioned (Yellowstone Select); neat, rocks, highball (Basil Hayden’s).