| Rating | 97 |
| Style |
Rye American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In |
Kentucky United States |
| ABV | 64.9% |
| Availability | Year Round |
| Price | $150.00 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Reviewed | 2025-12-02 |
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Review
Our top BTAC offering of the year is this annually-released, uncut, unfiltered rye of over six years old. Despite its youth, it was by far the most well-rounded in this year’s series. The nose offers spicy oak balanced by some citrus and orchard fruit. The palate is an explosion of flavor; baking spices, dried fruit, and nuts, with a warm and lingering finish, though certainly some burn. Bottled at 129.8 proof, it drank a ton hotter than most all the higher-ranking whiskeys on this year’s list, which is its one demerit.
As of 2024, VinePair no longer participates in any affiliate programs. All links included in our content are as a convenience to our readers, not for earning commission — we receive no monetary value from them. Learn more about our tastings & review department here!
Related Reads
Learn About Rye
Related Rye Reviews
Fiddler Toasted Straight Rye Whiskey Cask Strength:
A variety of sourced mash bills — all of at least 6 years — are finished in toasted barrels, then “fiddled” with to create this ...
Michter's 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (2025):
Another year, another Michter’s 10 Year Rye. That’s far from a guarantee, and we have numerous examples when the Kentucky-based ...
Rieger Straight Rye Whiskey:
This Kansas City distillery was revived in 2014 by the great-great-great-grandson of the company’s 19th century immigrant founder. In the ...
Blue Note Straight Rye Whiskey:
While the iconic 95/5 mash bill might make you think this is MGP, it is, rather, sourced from Kentucky’s Green River before being matured ...
Featured Rye Articles
How the ‘95/5’ Rye Mash Bill Went From MGP Signature to Craft Staple:
Midwest Grain Products (MGP) was known for its "95/5" rye mash bill, but now, distillers are producing 95/5 ryes of their own.
Old Potrero Blazed a Trail for Craft Rye Whiskey. Why Is It Perpetually Overlooked?:
Old Potrero blazed a trail for craft rye whiskey decades before it took off, yet still struggles with recognition today.
All of the Best Whiskeys to Drink in 2024:
From single malt to single barrel, barrel proof to cask finished, these are the best whiskeys to drink in 2024.
The 50 Best Spirits of 2025:
Every year at VinePair HQ, we taste through thousands of spirits to choose the cream of the crop. Here are the 50 best spirits for 2025.
