This was continued, but not before I managed to snag one. I generally find Basil Hayden to be underwhelming, but the 10 year bourbon was decent. I’m a big fan of Jim Beam in general, so I’m willing to give them a chance to improve my position on the BH label, though at this point, they’re running out of tries. Clean slate for this one though. Let’s check it out. Nose: Very bready. Sourdough. Rye spice. Lemon citrus. Orange rind. Black pepper. Toasted almond and vanilla. A touch of pistachio. Palate: Some pistachio and milk chocolate. Rye spice. Toasted almond. Gala apple, raisin, and dried apricot. Vanilla, caramel, and ginger snap. Some butterscotch. White pepper. Clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Vanilla. Clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Rye spice and black pepper. Dill. Black licorice. Short, fleeting finish. I really had to dig deep to find the notes here. It’s underwhelming. Flat, though the notes I was able to detect were pleasant. It’s just muted. 40% ABV is practically a death sentence for any whiskey in any category. There’s nothing memorable here. It takes a fat chunk out of your wallet for such a thin whiskey. At $100, this is undoubtedly not worth the price of entry. $50 tops, and that’s only for the impressive age statement relative to other ryes. The oldest I’ve owned in fact. But a pitiful ABV is enough to sour that. Not a bad whiskey by any means. But it’s awful value. 2.75/5.