Watching ' House of Cards' for the 3rd time and picked up on Doug Stamper ordering something called 'Basil Hayden' in a dive bar. The bartender chuckles and says, "you're kidding me right?" That's when I knew I had to buy a bottle. Tastes like heaven and rivals my best single malt scotch!

An old friend and fellow enjoyer of bourbon gave me a bottle of the dark rye. He told me it was special and he was right! I have to say I was pleasantly surprised how good it is. I've been regularly buying it again and again. This is what old friends are for and I'm thinking Basel Hayden's bourbons are going to become old friends of mine too.

As a seasoned Scotch Drinker I am always in search of the next best thing outside of my stable Blue Label and Glenmorangie. Well this is as smooth and light on the pallet whiskey I've had in a long time. OK Ever. It's excellent and I would recommend having a bottle or two on reserve for those warm summer months. High proof but smooth on the finish makes this a must have.

Sitting at a table of friends. One of us ordered Basil Hayden's Dark Rye. I had to ask. She started her comments and did the Bourbon swing shot. She put the glass in front of my face and asked me to "take a taste". One sip and my eyebrows lifted and were still lifted when I ordered my own glass immediately. It's been love ever since. The sweetest and tastiest Bourbon that ever crossed my lips.

I normally prefer a mash that is corn dependent. A bourbon snob. And, rye is not a secondary choice. I like to try different products and openly admit my pleasure with the bottle of Hayden's I purchased extremely smooth, no aftertaste and one I will keep stocked.

I tried it for the first time yesterday. My son in law set several bottles of bourbon out on the kitchen table for sampling. I kept going back to the Basil Hayden's bottle . I drink a lot of bourbon and I'll rank y'all's as one of the really good ones. I'm originally from Harlan, Ky. and I like good moonshine better than any liquor, though.

The best Bourbon. However, you do not need the metal BH band around the bottle. It looks like a COCO Channel woman's belt around the bottle. Men prefer something more simple. Also it probably increases your overhead. Trust your quality which stands on its own.

With lower alcohol %, the mix of flavors can be enjoyed by straight sipping, as I prefer. Even enjoying the smell before the sip is not preceded by a harsh, pepper nose hit as in higher proofs. I am not a beginner to Bourbon, however I'm appreciating less (alcohol) is more enjoyment. So happy to have first experienced BH, '23 Thanksgiving in Newport, RI @ Fleming's steak house.

That first sip is incredibly smooth, flavor is impeccable. More expensive whiskies don't compare, this one wins it all. Give it as a gift, recipients think you've spent a small fortune

There's much I miss about my home state of KY - even more now that good bourbon seems harder and harder to find in northern states (MN) but thankfully basil Hayden is not on allocation!