Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 94 |
| Style |
Rye American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In |
Kentucky United States |
| ABV | 62.45% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $124.99 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Review Updated | 2023-11-07 |
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey 2023 Review
While Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection is known for some highly-age expressions — including a 19 year-old Eagle Rare for 2023! — its youngest whiskey is undoubtedly one of the most consistent and cherished releases in the line. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye is generally aged between six and seven years, and the 2023 version continues with that trend.
Batched and released at cask strength, Handy rye is known year-over-year for bold spice and a cornucopia of flavors. Let’s find out if this year’s version — which at 124.9 proof, is somewhat lower in ABV than in recent years — holds up.
Thomas H. Handy Rye 2023: Stats and Availability
As with all Buffalo Trace Antique Collection releases, it’s common to see Thomas H. Handy command prices above the suggested retail value. (Which this year increased from $99 to $124.99.) But while bottle counts aren’t always made publicly available, the six-ish year Handy rye is often the most findable and affordable of the bunch. Depending on the year, some retail, secondary market, and auction prices will shoot the tag as high as $700. However, finding this for a more “reasonable” $300 (or even below) is still achievable in certain markets.
Thomas H. Handy Rye 2023 Review
Similar to all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.
Nose
Zested citrus leads — orange and grapefruit specifically come to mind — on a nose that’s a little less punchy than some other recent Thomas Handys. That’s not to say it’s timid; it’s more that the six point drop in proof from 2022 is noticeable here. More time in the glass brings increased rye and baking spices, along with a few elements of five-spice powder: anise, cloves, and cinnamon. The greener, vegetal notes take a backseat to that spice throughout.
If aromas stopped there, this particular nose might be a bit boring. But there’s more to the equation, including two notes that could ruffle some feathers: furniture polish and pine-scented cleaning solution. I want to be clear these are not knocks against the whiskey, nor are they off putting. This specific intersection of pine and ethanol brings those notes front and center, and they’re two scents I’ve experienced on whiskeys ranging from poor to fantastic. The palate will be the real arbiter here!
Taste
The tongue starts with freshly-baked pumpernickel bread — quite savory at first sip! — with a liberal spread of warm butter that melts across the palate all the way back. The bready notes transition to sweet at a leisurely clip, bringing out plenty of honey-soaked cornbread on the midpalate. That’s coupled with grapefruit candy, though the overall impact of citrus is lighter here than on the nose.
Cloves, peppercorns, and a touch of that anise continue here toward the back palate, and both spicy and sweet elements are carried by a rich mouthfeel that feels nearly spot-on given the proof. There’s less ethanol kick here than I often expect tasting Handy rye releases, which allows the flavors to lean just a little closer to a bready end of the spectrum than normal (compared to the normal robust spice of this expression). Fans of intensely spicy rye might see this as a departure from Handy’s winning formula; to me, it’s a fairly modest but welcome change-up in the line.
Finish
The nose was intriguing, the palate was fulfilling, and the finish is where things really peak. Spice and sweetness dissipate in harmony like sticky molasses dissolving from the very back of the tongue down the throat. And oak — not absent from the nose and palate, but standing slightly offstage — finally takes its bow. One of the hallmarks of Thomas H. Handy rye is the yearly reminder that even a relatively young rye whiskey can pick up great (even superlative) flavor from the barrel. The 2023 release is no exception to that trend, though it takes the full sipping experience to get there.
Finally, right before reaching for the glass once more, a slight kiss of heat, as if the rye can finally be bothered to remind drinkers of its cask strength bottling.
A drop or two of water brings out significantly more citrus throughout the taste and finish. But given the flavor profile and the fact that this is one of the lower-proof Handy releases in recent years, I’d recommend trying it neat first for the full experience.
Thomas H. Handy Rye 2023 Rating
94/100
Recap
This year’s Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye holds its own as a continuation of a consistent and delicious pedigree. It’s (slightly) tempered compared to last year’s uncommonly bold flavors, but that doesn’t mean the final drinking experience is anemic in the slightest. Rather, a small dip in proof — and proper selection of barrels, lest we forget! — produced rye whiskey that showcases perhaps even more of the starring grain’s flavor range.
*Photo sourced from the Buffalo Trace Distillery
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