Basil Hayden bourbon: the range at CBC Liquors

CBC Liquors at 142 Littleton Rd in Westford, Massachusetts carries Basil Hayden bourbon, and you can see every bottle under the name on the Basil Hayden brand page. The range runs from the standard bourbon to a 10 year, three rye bottles and a red wine cask finish. Below is what each one is, how they differ and how to pick up or have one delivered.

Where can you buy Basil Hayden bourbon near Westford?

You can buy Basil Hayden at CBC Liquors, 142 Littleton Rd, Westford, MA 01886. The store is open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

If you would rather not walk in, the shop also offers pickup, delivery and shipping. Pickup runs on the same hours as the store.

CBC Liquors has a 4.7 out of 5 rating from 340 Google reviews, and the shop has 4,584 products on its shelves across 1,883 brands, so a Basil Hayden bottle sits alongside the rest of the whiskey range rather than in a single corner of a small selection.

Which Basil Hayden bottles does CBC Liquors carry?

The shop carries six bottles under the Basil Hayden name, and they cover more than the standard bourbon. Each one has its own product page, so you can open it before you decide.

The core bottle is Basil Hayden Bourbon. Alongside it is Basil Hayden 10 Year Bourbon, an aged expression of the same house style.

Then there are the rye-led and finished bottles: Basil Hayden Malted Rye, Basil Hayden GOLDEN RYE, Basil Hayden Dark Rye and Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish.

If you already know which one you want, search for it by name. If you are choosing between them, the sections below explain how they differ.

What is Basil Hayden bourbon?

Basil Hayden is a Kentucky straight bourbon from the Jim Beam family, named for Basil Hayden Sr., an early Kentucky distiller. It is a bourbon, which means it is made in the United States from a mash of at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak barrels.

What sets it apart is the recipe. Most bourbons use a modest amount of rye alongside corn and malted barley. Basil Hayden leans heavier on rye than many, which gives it a peppery, slightly spicy edge instead of a sweet, heavy vanilla profile.

It is also bottled at a lower proof than many bourbons, which is why it has a reputation as a soft, approachable pour. That is the reason people reach for it when they want a bourbon that does not feel intense, whether they are new to bourbon or choosing a bottle to share with someone who is.

How does Basil Hayden taste?

The regular bourbon is on the lighter side. Expect a gentle sweetness from the corn, a dry pepper note from the rye and a short, clean finish. It does not have the syrupy weight of a high-proof or wheated bourbon, so it suits sipping neat without water.

Because the rye is prominent, it is often described as spicier than it is sweet. That makes it a fit if you find many bourbons too sugary. It also holds its shape in a cocktail without disappearing behind the other ingredients.

The 10 Year follows the same idea with more time in the barrel. Longer aging generally adds oak, a rounder texture and deeper caramel and toasted notes, while the rye spice stays in the background. If you like the standard bottle and want to see what extra age does, that is the natural step up.

How are the Basil Hayden rye and finished bottles different from the bourbon?

A bourbon needs a majority of corn. A rye whiskey needs a majority of rye grain. The rye-led Basil Hayden bottles move further toward the spicy, grainy side than the regular bourbon does, so they suit someone who already enjoys the pepper in the standard bottle and wants more of it.

Malted rye uses malted grain, which generally adds a bready, biscuity note and a smoother texture. Dark Rye is rye-forward whiskey with a richer, fruitier reading than the standard bottle. GOLDEN RYE is another rye-led bottle in the same family, and its product page is the place to see how it is described.

Red Wine Cask Finish takes a different route. A finish means the whiskey spends additional time in a second cask after its main aging, here one that held red wine. The usual result is some dark fruit and a little tannic grip on top of the bourbon base. If you enjoy both whiskey and red wine, it is the most interesting one to set beside the standard bottle.

What is the best way to drink Basil Hayden?

Start neat or with one large ice cube. At a lower proof, Basil Hayden does not need much to open up, and a splash of water or a slow melt on the rocks is plenty. Pour a small measure, let it sit for a minute and take it slowly.

In cocktails, the rye character makes it a good match for classics built around whiskey. An old fashioned needs only sugar, bitters and a strip of orange peel. A Manhattan pairs it with sweet vermouth and bitters, and the spicy edge of the rye keeps it from tasting too sweet.

A whiskey and ginger is a simple long drink, and for that you will want a good ginger beer or ginger ale from the mixers section.

A lighter whiskey can be overpowered, so keep the other ingredients simple and measured. Two or three ingredients is usually plenty.

What should you try if you like Basil Hayden?

If the spicy, drier style is what you like, the rye shelf is the obvious next stop. Rye whiskeys go further in that direction, and you can compare how different makers handle it.

If what you like is the soft, accessible side, browse the wider bourbon range for other approachable bottles, or look across whiskey as a whole to see how bourbon sits beside Irish and Scotch styles. The Irish whiskey page is a good place to look if you want something lighter and smoother still.

The point of trying a second bottle is to learn what you like about the first. Pour two side by side, one after the other, and notice whether you prefer the pepper, the sweetness or the oak.

How do you get Basil Hayden from CBC Liquors in Westford?

You can walk in at 142 Littleton Rd, Westford, during store hours: Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Pickup uses those same hours. Delivery hours are slightly shorter: Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. The shop also offers shipping.

Beyond Westford, the shop serves Chelmsford, Carlisle, Littleton, Acton, Tyngsborough, Lowell, Billerica, Boxborough and Dunstable. Each has its own page, such as Liquor Delivery in Chelmsford, MA, Liquor Delivery in Acton, MA and Liquor Delivery in Lowell, MA. The full list is on the liquor delivery areas page.