Entertaining
Greg Horton, ReserveBar Spirits Contributor
Toast to magical moments
with our collection of holiday favorites.
Bourbon is the quintessentially American spirit, and the stories of its pioneers are deeply embedded in the identity of the United States. Basil Hayden, Sr., the inspiration for Beam Suntory’s Basil Hayden line of whiskies, descended from a family who settled near the Chesapeake Bay in the 1660s, more than 100 years before the U.S. existed as a country. Like many in the Virginia-Maryland area, the family included farmers and agricultural products that generated breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
Basil Hayden would eventually lead a contingent of settlers out of Virginia, and after passing through the Cumberland Gap, they found land near Bardstown, Kentucky. Hayden Sr. had grown up in proximity to tobacco farmers who used rye as a cover crop for their tobacco operations. European immigrants began distilling rye after they arrived, and the spicy grain found its way into many American whiskey mash bills. Hayden Sr. made a high-rye (approximately 22%) bourbon in the 18th century, and almost 100 years after the family arrived in Bardstown, his grandson Raymond Hayden created his own whiskey under the Old Grand-Dad label, a homage to his grandfather.
When Beam Industries — as it was known then — decided to release a small batch bourbon collection in 1992, they called on Booker Noe to craft a high-rye bourbon in honor of Basil Hayden, Sr., and the bottle bears his name as an indication of its role as a tribute to one of the great pioneer master distillers in the history of Virginia and Kentucky. Given its role in the growth of the young country and its development as a premium spirit, Basil Hayden Bourbon makes an excellent choice to build holiday cocktails around for every season, especially as we move into the winter months when a warming glow from delicious whiskey is exactly what the season demands.
Thanksgiving can be the most challenging day of the year for pairings; there are so many different flavors and levels of spicy, sweet, savory, and salty on the table.
It’s a bit of a nightmare for cocktail aficionados and sommeliers. The best advice is to pair one cocktail with the meal and then pair something else for dessert.
The Vanilla Old Fashioned is an excellent choice for dinner. Then, a neat pour with a baking-spice-driven dessert will round out the meal. Not cooking this year?
This Bourbon makes the perfect gift for your hosts! They’ll surely appreciate your bottle of gratitude for providing the feast.
1 One-inch piece of vanilla bean (split)
1 One-inch piece of orange zest
¼ oz. Simple syrup
2 Dashes of orange bitters
1 Orange wheel (garnish)
In a rocks glass, muddle the vanilla bean and orange zest with simple syrup and bitters. Add the bourbon and ice, stir, and garnish with the orange wheel.
Friendsgiving is one of the fastest-developing holiday trends around the country. For families scattered all over the country, gathering with the families we choose is a meaningful and festive way to celebrate with loved ones. In that spirit, a smash is a fun, fruity, and festive way to get the celebration started.
½ oz. Simple syrup
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
2 Pineapple cubes
3 Lemon wedges
2 Mint sprigs, plus more for garnish
Add pineapple, lemon wedges, and one sprig of mint in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add all remaining ingredients and ice to the cocktail shaker. Shake and double strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Christmas is a major holiday for most families, and the tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve is typically accompanied with seasonal treats, including hot chocolate, roasted nuts, baked goods, and sweets. For a chilly evening around the fireplace, a hot toddy is the perfect seasonal choice.
1 oz. Honey
2 Lemon wedges
2-3 Slices of ginger, peeled
4-5 Dashes bitters
4 oz. Hot water
Cinnamon stick (garnish)
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the ginger and water until almost boiling. Pour the water into a large mug, straining out the ginger. Add the honey, stirring until it is well dissolved. Squeeze and drop in the lemon wedges. Add the Basil Hayden and bitters, giving it another stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or grated cinnamon.
Hanukkah is another holiday with a wealth of flavors on the table, from rugelachs to latkes to knish and kugels; the flavors run the spectrum from sweet to savory and spicy. A straightforward rye cocktail will handle most anything and pairs beautifully with a celebratory meal.
1 ½ Parts Basil Hayden Dark Rye Whiskey
1 Part Dry vermouth
1 Part Campari
Lemon peel (garnish)
Combine the Basil Hayden, vermouth, and Campari in a mixing glass. Fill the glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Kwanzaa derives from a Swahili phrase that references a bountiful harvest, so cocktails with fruits, herbs, and vegetable juices are always appropriate. Families celebrate it differently, with their favorite soul and southern cooking, as well as traditional African and African diaspora dishes. As a way of honoring the harvest, consider a smash for the holiday table.
¾ oz. Demerara syrup
2 Dashes Bitters
2 Dashes Orange Bitters
½ Lemon
5 Blackberries
3 Sage leaves, plus a sprig of thyme (for garnish)
Place half a lemon and the blackberries into a cocktail shaker and lightly press with the back of a bar spoon. Add the remaining ingredients to the cocktail shaker, top with ice, and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with sage leaves and thyme.
However you celebrate this season, Basil Hayden Whiskies provide many different cocktail possibilities, and its deep roots in America’s story make it an appropriate and festive choice to celebrate family, faith, friends, and food around the table, on the patio, or around the fire. You can make holiday hosting even easier by shopping the entire Basil Hayden collection on ReserveBar and getting it delivered to your door! Basil Hayden also makes the perfect gift, with a whiskey sure to please any palate. For the whiskey newbie, consider one of their approachable options, like Subtle Smoke. For the aficionado or bourbon collector, you will be sure to please with the Red Wine Cask Finish expression. And the rum lover will absolutely fall head over heels for the Caribbean Reserve Rye.