Basil Hayden Sr. was a Maryland Catholic who led a group of 25 families west into Kentucky in 1785 and started distilling in 1796 — and what set his whiskey apart was rye. Where most early bourbon makers used a little rye for spice, Hayden used a lot, creating a distinctly peppery, herbal style that his grandson Raymond honored decades later when he founded a distillery and named its bourbon Old Grand-Dad, putting Basil's likeness on the label. Jim Beam's legendary Booker Noe revived the name in 1992 as one of the four founding bourbons of the Small Batch Collection alongside Knob Creek, Booker's, and Baker's — and positioned it as the entry point: the same high-rye mash bill as Old Grand-Dad, roughly 27% rye or about twice the industry norm, but bottled at a gentle 80 proof for approachability. Light-bodied, peppery, and honeyed with citrus zest and green apple, it's long been the bottle people buy for friends just getting into bourbon, and one of the best high-rye options for a Boulevardier or Manhattan. The range has grown steadily since a 2022 redesign: Dark Rye blends Kentucky and Canadian rye with a splash of California port; Toast swaps the rye for brown rice and finishes in toasted, flash-charred barrels; Malted Rye and a 10 Year age statement round out the core, with limited releases like Subtle Smoke and Red Wine Cask appearing seasonally.

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