Thomas H. Handy sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 2021
In the uproarious aftermath of Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection announcement earlier in the fall, a quiet question was asked: in the absence of George T. Stagg, which would not be released this year, what would take its place as the king of the BTAC line?
Undoubtedly, most would have guessed William Larue Weller. After all, it’s a year-over-year favorite, a rare barrel proof wheated bourbon, and the second-most obsessed over BTAC release after GTS. Maybe the Sazerac 18 Year Old rye, another perennial favorite, would lead the pack despite its comparatively low proof. The rest threw up their hands, believing that without GTS, BTAC wasn’t worth hunting.
For me, I sat back for a bit, thinking through the previous BTAC lineups I’d been fortunate to try. I still couldn’t get behind either the Saz 18 or Eagle Rare 17, both of which have always hit me as closer to oak water than whiskey. I get some people really enjoy a woody whiskey - but not me.
What about the Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, though? Looking back at the last few years, THH had been a solidly consistent and high-quality rye. At barrel proof and usually around 6-6.5 years old, it’s right in my sweet spot for ryes. Last year’s was delicious, more so than the previous few years.
In this odd, GTS-less year, THH might just be the best of the bunch.
I tried it alongside this year’s William Larue Weller (2021) and the Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill High Proof Tennessee Whiskey, both heavy hitters in their own right. While the WLW was incredible as usual and the Jack Daniel’s was intriguingly flavorful, the Thomas H. Handy easily beat them both.
With strong bursts of savory herbs, toasted wood, and sweet spices, the nose signaled this pour’s promise immediately. The palate followed with a classic Sazerac profile, balancing peppery heat and astringency with a medium-bodied and chewy mouthfeel. Chocolate and orange zest open later, continuing the pour’s evolution as I sipped it. In short: excellent.
In some ways, the Handy Rye was closer in profile to the Coy Hill than the WLW, though neither is a comparable counterpart in mashbill. Comprised of barrels from the 7th, 6th, and 5th floors of warehouses I, L, O, and K, the casks would be exposed to some of the highest temperatures in the buildings. This location profile mirrored that of the Coy Hill aging, which took barrels from the higher levels of the warehouse on top of the already-elevated Coy Hill on the Jack Daniel’s property.
In more similar ways, it also mirrored last year’s Jack Daniel’s limited release, the Barrel Proof Rye, also drawn from higher areas of the warehouses. According to Buffalo Trace’s accompanying letter to the Handy Rye bottle, the casks lost 31% of their whiskey to evaporation in just under six-and-a-half years, about 5% per year. Not astronomical, per se, but significantly higher than the 2-3% average lost in Kentucky after the first year’s 5-6% angel’s share.
The result is my current rye of the year for 2021. As of writing, there are two weeks left for something to dislodge the Thomas H. Handy 2021, but I find it hard to believe anything could. I’ll be sure to let you know.
Thomas H. Handy sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 2021: Specs
Classification: Straight Rye Whiskey
Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Mashbill: Undisclosed Rye Mashbill
Proof: 129.5 (64.75% ABV)
Age: 6 Years 4 Months Old
Location: Kentucky
Thomas H. Handy sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 2021 Price: $99
Thomas H. Handy sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 2021 Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Toasted wood. Medium rims and medium syrupy legs.
Nose: Savory herbs, a touch of proof, sweet rye undertones. Apple orchards. Toasting coriander or cardamom. Quite herbaceous and spicy, more in flavor than in heat.
Palate: There’s that classic Sazerac rye - sweet, spicy, herby, lots of pepper on the front of my tongue. Some oak astringency, but no woodiness. Flavors explode into all the areas of my mouth at once. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, thickening on the chew. Chocolate starts to open towards the finish alongside Szechuan peppers, clove, and orange peel.
Finish: Incredibly long and powerful. The herbs and spices take center stage with a semisweet chocolate undertone. Still going after several minutes, just excellent.
Overall: This might be the sleeper of the 2021 BTAC lineup. I truly think this beats out the WLW. It keeps going and going, chocolate in a savory expression. Beautiful.
Final Rating: 8.8
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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