Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (Fall 2015)

Sweet and smooth

Nose - (w/o water) Intensely sweet and fruity, dark sugary sweet, light mint, cherry Dr. Pepper, vanilla brown sugar, salted caramel milk chocolates (w/ water) Sweet toned down a bit, but more sweet mint, more intense vanilla, and more of a creamy chocolate. Taste - (w/o water) Sweet mint, lightly herbal, delicious warming sweet cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper/Coke, very light oak bitterness. (w/ water) Cinnamon makes an appearance, more caramel, and dark fruit sweetness. Finish - (w/o water) Light bitter sweet like that of walnut skins, very clean tasting, lingering warmth, subtle oaky vanilla sweetness, light bitterness like if you bit into an older mint stem that has started to grow a "bark" of sorts. (w/ water) You get more of a cinnamon heat, slightly less bitter that's replaced with a lingering, but muted cherry vanilla. 91/100

One of Buffalo Trace's distillery showcases, the Thomas H. Handy is perhaps my least favorite of the Antique Collection but it's still a fine bourbon. It's essentially a barrel-proof Sazerac rye whiskey and it delivers some pronounced chocolate notes on the palate. Enormous spice notes temper this sweetness, adding complexity... it's dangerously drinkable despite the high proof. Well worth picking up if you find it for retail, but it's not worth the inflated price that you'll sometimes see it for on the secondary market.

1 bottle