Most bourbons claim long, romantic histories, but Basil Hayden's small-batch Kentucky whiskey has a lineage as interesting as any. The recipe, now part of the Jim Beam family of whiskies, can be traced, it is said, to a gentleman named Basil Hayden Sr., who moved from Virginia to Kentucky in 1785, eventually running a distillery there. He used a lot of rye in his bourbon mash, giving his blend a mellow, smokier, more peppery flavor than some of the sweeter bourbons.

Basil Hayden's (the man, not the whiskey) family tree also includes his grandson Raymond B. Hayden. When Raymond eventually founded his own Kentucky distillery, he named the product after his grandfather, giving us the iconic Old Grand-Dad whiskey, with Basil Hayden Sr.'s picture on the label. (The Old Grand-Dad brand is also a Beam label.)

Though Jim Beam claims the current Basil Hayden's recipe is more or less how Basil Hayden Sr. used to make it, the Basil Hayden's marque is a newer product, part of Jim Beam's "small batch" bourbon collection, and was introduced in 1992. Of the small-batch bourbons issued by Jim Beam, Basil Hayden's (PLCB #6915, 750 ml, $37.99) is a nice introductory whiskey for novices -- at 80 proof, it's a bit lighter in taste and color, and has less of a kick than its better-known brothers. Knob Creek, for example, is 100 proof; Booker's is 120 proof or so. (Aficionados may look askance at bourbons with lesser alcohol volumes, but don't listen to them. Drink what you like.)

Like Knob Creek, Basil Hayden's eight-year comes in an attractive package -- a high-lipped, oversized paper label fastened to the bottle with a copper clasp, giving it a premium look and feel. High-end bourbons, while they have not enjoyed quite the astronomical growth of "premium" vodkas or single-malt Scotches, still are increasing in sales year after year, and the renewed interest in classic cocktail menus is driving on-premise consumption (meaning at the bar or restaurant), which in turn leads to increased retail sales.

OLD-FASHIONED

This classic may, in fact, be the first cocktail, or at least the first to be called as such -- and one of the easiest to make. Like many old cocktails, the "official" recipe is a matter of debate, but almost all of the recipes call for bourbon. Basil Hayden's is a nice mixing whiskey, and its pepper undertones interact nicely with the bitters and, olfactorily speaking, with the citrus garnishes.

• 1 sugar cube
• Angostura bitters
• Soda water (optional)
• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
• Lemon peel garnish
• Orange slice and maraschino cherries (optional)

In an old-fashioned glass (or a standard whiskey tumbler), deposit the sugar cube at the bottom. Saturate the cube with 2 or 3 shakes of Angostura bitters. When the cube is nice and red, add a splash of soda water (this step is optional, and many cocktail purists say there's no room for soda water in an old-fashioned), and muddle everything together with a spoon until it's dissolved.

Add ice cubes. Over ice, pour the bourbon. Mix. Garnish with lemon peel, a slice of orange, and 2 maraschino cherries.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.