Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye is About to Be Your Favorite Summer Whiskey

Drink Features Basil Hayden
Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye is About to Be Your Favorite Summer Whiskey

In recent years I’ve become a huge fan of whisk(e)y that has been aged in an unusual cask. Glenfiddich’s IPA cask and Jameson’s Caskmate’s IPA are two of my personal favorites in that have popped up recently, in part because my first reaction to the idea of putting a whiskey in an IPA cask was “gross,” and yet both whiskies are phenomenal.

This week I received another whiskey I was pretty excited to try, a rye by Basil Hayden’s that was finished in rum casks. Sign me up.

Basil Hayden’s Caribbean Reserve Rye is a blend of 8-year-old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey and 4-year-old Canadian Rye Whiskey. The blend is then finished with the addition of Black Strap Rum.

Unlike my beloved cask-conditioned whiskies, Basil Hayden’s actually added rum to this blend. As you might expect, the end result is a slightly sweeter whiskey, with notes of molasses and brown sugar. That along with the spice of the rye makes this a pretty delightful one to drink straight.

“With the release of Caribbean Reserve Rye, we wanted to give our fans a fun whiskey expression that you can bring out and share during warmer weather occasions, whether that’s mixing it up at an outdoor barbeque or gifting it for a housewarming celebration,” said Rob Mason, Vice President Marketing, Whiskey at Beam Suntory. “As a brand that has always broken traditional whiskey expectations, we’re excited to help our fans discover new, interesting ways to enjoy the rye category, and Caribbean Reserve Rye does just that.”

Caribbean Reserve Rye is available now nationwide for $44.99. If you enjoy it like I do, then it’s worth grabbing a few bottles. As you might imagine, it’s only going to be available for a limited time.

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