Old Grand Dad Bourbon Whisky, 70 cl

Product Information

According to modernthirst.com, Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon uses a mash bill of 63% corn, 27% rye and 10% malted barley. That mash bill is identical to Basil Hayden’s bourbon’s mash bill. 27% is a lot of rye! For a frame of reference, Jim Beam’s line of bourbons and their offspring (Knob Creek, Booker’s, Baker’s) use only 13% rye (and 75% corn, 12% malted barley, if you were wondering?). Being a bottled-in-bond bourbon, Old Grand-Dad Bonded has to be at least 4 years old, and 100 proof. Other bourbons in the Old Grand-Dad line include 80 and 114 proof versions. Tasting Notes The taste is where the Old Grand-Dad really shines. Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, corn, nutmeg, and some pepper are the principle flavors. There are some very sweet dessert like qualities to this bourbon with candied nuts, cherries, and a hint of fruit. Adding water or ice enhances the caramel and vanilla while simultaneously bringing out some additional savory notes of brown butter and something that reminds me of sage.

For example, the Jim beam Distillery has a 10,000-gallon cooker — or mash tun — and nearly 20 large-scale fermenters. The large column stills are fed through a continuous distillation system, where beer is fed to a beer still, collected and then fed into the spirit still or thumper. This type of system could ideally run indefinitely, although, in reality, it will shut down from time to time for maintenance and cleaning.

Old Grand-Dad is owned and produced by Beam Suntory, the third-largest spirits company in the world. In addition to the standard Old Grand-Dad offering, additional products are widely available for bourbon enthusiasts to enjoy. Along with bargains, hidden gems remain a scarcity in the bourbon hunting world. But while many cult favorites have seen their prices double and even quadruple in recent years, one brand has remained firmly rooted to the bottom shelf at the liquor store. This, despite the fact it is revered by both bartenders and whiskey collectors, and uses the exact same mash bill as a more expensive, better-known bourbon. Hayden began as one of the area’s many small-scale regional farmer-distillers. He made whiskey in the ‘new style’ that would become bourbon on the family’s land near Bardstown. By the time his grandson, Raymond B. Hayden, built a professional distillery in 1840 with business partner F. L. Ferriell, the family’s reputation for distilling a delicious high-rye bourbon was already well known throughout the Ohio Valley and beyond. Raymond named the new distillery — and the bourbon brand produced there — Old Grand-Dad after his grandfather Basil Hayden. Old Grand-Dad was created by Raymond B. Hayden, a third-generation distiller, in 1882. He chose the name to honor his own grandfather — and the family’s first-generation distiller — Basil Hayden Sr. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because another bourbon label popularized it. Basil Hayden’s bourbon was crafted by master distiller Booker Noe in 1992. While he had no relation to the Haden family, he was inspired by Hayden Sr.’s expertise in the field and named the product after him. Like a rising tide, we’ve watched bourbon’s prices climb with many new releases, but less so with existing brands. This is true of Old Grand-Dad, which has maintained low prices across the brand.

There is an initial astringency that takes a second to blow off. Once it does there is a classic bourbon profile of caramel and vanilla that is paired with some honey, brown butter, and bruleed bananas. A very light fruit runs underneath the whole nose with a bit of fresh corn keeping it company. Contrast this scenario with shutting down production for an evening to swap out between Jim Beam and Old Grand-Dad runs. Cookers, fermenters, stills and lines can all run clean, and the production team can look for the subtle flavor characteristics distinct to each brand as the spirit comes off the still. The Old Grand-Dad brand was created by Raymond B. Hayden and named after his grandfather Meredith Basil Hayden, Sr. The bourbon has been in production since the 1800’s, including during Prohibition when it was produced by American Medicinal Spirits Co., a pharmaceutical company. The brand has changed ownership numerous times since it was originally created and is now owned by Beam Suntory and marketed as part of their “The Olds” Collection which also includes Old Overholt. Old Grand-Dad is currently released in three different bottling proofs: 80 (changed from 86 in 2013), 100, and 114.Because it is made from an entirely different mash bill than other products from the two distilleries, one or both facilities likely switch over to production runs of the ‘Old Grand-Dad’ recipe for several weeks or months of each distilling season based on the company’s production and sales goals. While this is certainly not required by law, it would help the company capitalize on efficiencies within the system. It is also mentioned in the Hank Williams, Jr. song "Women I've Never Had": "I like sweet young things and Old Grand-Dad, and I like to have women I've never had". Is your grandad quite the foodie? Does he clean his plate and go for seconds every time? If so, then you can’t beat foodie gift ideas for grandad. Think a giant Toblerone with his name on it, barbecue sauce selections or an espresso maker. Or if he fancies himself the next Gordon Ramsay, we have a selection of cooking gifts he’ll be sure to love. How about a maki master for a sushi chef, a MasterChef apron for when he’s cooking up a storm, or a pie maker if he loves a good pie? Drinking Gifts Oh man this is nice. Rich and full the aroma is layered with notes of dark fruit, caramel heavy dark sweets, vanilla, bold spice, hay, oak and a syrupy sweet undertone. It needs a bit more of those rustic earthy notes to fully balance it out, but it’s nice nonetheless. Today, Old Grand-Dad and the Basil Hayden’s brand with the same namesake are both produced by Beam Suntory. But as you’ll see in our subsequent sections, these two bourbons have special privileges compared to other legacy brands from the company. Mashbill

As of December2015 [update], Old Grand-Dad and Old Overholt – both of which are Beam Suntory brands – are marketed together as "The Olds". [1] History [ edit ] During its more than 100-year history, Old Grand-Dad has seen several ownership changes and has been produced at multiple distilleries. Throughout that time, the brand has been continually available to American drinkers.In the episode "The Mihn Who Knew Too Much," of the show King of the Hill, Hank references this drink when someone deposits their garbage in his trashcan, remarking "We don't use canned milk, or drink Old Grand-Dad." It’s a little strong and numbing. I’ve had 100 proof whiskey that is a bit smoother ( Wild Turkey 101), but it’s still incredibly drinkable. A splash of water will calm things down a bit without sacrificing any flavor so if you’re finding it a bit unruly give that a go.

The nose is a bit un balanced, but the flavor and finish both have a nice symmetry to them. A full round body and a heavy warm mouthfeel compliment the rich character. He knows how much you care, but why not show him through a personalised gift? You can add a personalised message or his name to a gift that he’ll love and keep for years to come. Whether it’s a personalised spirit level if he likes getting hands-on or putting his name on a tumbler for drinking his favourite tipple, choose a truly unique gift for him. For more inspiration, see our full range of personalised gifts. Foodie Gifts for GrandadThe fictional character Morgan Kane, from the book series of the same name, always drank Old Grand-Dad if it was available and took a bottle or three with him most of the times he had to venture too far from a liquor store or a bar to his liking. One interesting note from this period: For a few years during Prohibition, Old Grand-Dad was distilled and distributed as a Canadian whiskey. Imagine an ecosystem where the cooker is continually grinding in new grain, heating it according to recipe specs before it cools, yeast is pitched and the liquid transferred to fermenters for about five days. Then, terminal beer is alternately pumped into the beer still, then the spirit still and clear new make or white dog bourbon is collected out of the spout. If you have tried the Old Grand-Dad bourbon let me know what you think in the comments below. Old Grand-Dad 100 Review