Handy Rye for the benefit of this review, but just couldn’t bring myself to damage this rare find. I was tempted to do the same with the Thomas H. With whiskeys of 120 proof or higher, I usually add a splash of water. For a high-proof whiskey, this is surprisingly smooth, elegant, and delightful. It reverses the order of the tasted flavors: vanilla, Virginia tobacco, and pepper in an evening rondo that fades into a warm, breezy sunset of spice. After taking a second sip, I thought I detected a trace of Macintosh apple, too. The full body is revealed with a dash of split peppercorns that recedes into a hearty, vanilla-infused pipe tobacco. The allspice jumps out right away, but only for a few seconds. Take advantage of that, and let it linger. For a 132.4 proof whiskey (66.2% AbV), it’s surprisingly smooth. You’ll be pardoned if you can’t resist sipping it sooner. Almost 30 minutes passed before I took my first sip. There’s no need to feel guilty if you savor this performance for hours without sip. Rich tobacco and well-kept leather joust with allspice and vanilla, as a subtle but rich 72% cocoa chocolate pirouettes around the edges. But raise it to your nose, and it comes alive. The color is traditional and unassuming: a pleasant singed orange in the glass, it suggests nothing less nor more than a typical Rye. But this is a completely different 6-year old Rye. Handy Sazerac Rye is technically a 6-year old whiskey, like the Trace’s standard Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey. In short, you can expect an uncut, unfiltered whiskey to retain the best characteristics the spirit has to offer.ĭistilled in Spring 2006, the Thomas H. Hardy Sazerac Rye “is an uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey.” That means no water was added prior to bottling, nor was the whiskey chill filtered – a process that prevents whiskey from going hazy when stored at low temperatures, but also tampers with the whiskey’s character. Taylor Straight Rye Whiskey, which garnered an “A.” How does this latest Rye compare? Without further ado, let’s get straight to the tasting….Īs described in the Buffalo Trace press release, Thomas H. We’ve reviewed several Buffalo Trace whiskeys, most recently the Col. Handy Sazerac Rye is one of two American Rye whiskeys available in limited quantities as part of the Buffalo Trace 2012 Antique Collection, released in September 2012. Named for the man who “improved” the Sazerac cocktail, Thomas H. Today, the Sazerac is probably the best known rye-based cocktail.īut the best ryes don’t need a cocktail to make them enjoyable. It may have been the only positive outcome of the period’s phylloxeria outbreak that caused a shortage in the supply of cognac. One of the crazier whiskeys I’ve tried so if that’s your thing you are in for a treat with this.Thomas Handy, one-time proprietor of the Sazerac House in New Orleans, was the man who altered the Sazerac cocktail in 1870 by replacing cognac with rye whiskey. It’s very difficult to describe exactly what it is like but to borrow a well-worn cliché you will either love it or hate it I think. It is not too hot for its high proof either, I didn’t add any water as that’s not my bag but I don’t think it needs it. Because of this it comes across a little unbalanced but provides and excitement that almost entirely makes up for that. Very interesting indeed, the nose is poor but then on the palate it kind of takes you on a journey jumping from one contrasting flavor to the next like a ball bearing whizzing around a pinball machine. Leaves a dark fruit taste in your mouth at the very end. For want of a better word – it’s crazy!īrown sugar, rye, all spice some tangerine and pepper. It is very reserved and not spectacular.Įarthy with raisins then a hint of ginger cake, baking spices, treacle, cool mint, raw ginger and pepper. Woodchips, dried herbs, peanuts, hazelnuts with some ethanol. The finish ultimately reveals subtle notes of allspice, coconut and nutmeg. Flavors of toffee, fig cake, and candied fruit, followed by mint, cinnamon and clove. Let’s have a look at my review of the TH Handy Sazerac Rye to find out: That is an excellent drink and I love a barrel proof so this can only be utterly amazing, right? It is a straight from the barrel uncut and unfiltered version of the standard Sazerac Rye. Handy was apparently the person who first started to use rye whiskey instead of brandy in the Sazerac cocktail and it is him that this is named after. I have tried all the other four whiskeys in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection several times before but for some reason I have never tried TH Handy before so this was a totally new experience for me.
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