Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye is a 6yr barrel proof rye that sits neatly in Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection - an annual release of extremely hyped bottlings.
Very evaporative on the tongue. Even though it also has the Sazerac name in the title, it is completely different than the Sazerac 18-year-old. I appreciate how different the flavors are than the others in the collection.
The taste starts off with a maple syrup sweetness at first – followed by the onslaught of baking spices cranked up to 11 with hints of mint and dark chocolate in the background.
his apple-cinnamon character is quite delightful on the finish, but it’s so long coming that one wonders why this wasn’t bottled at a more agreeable, lower proof, perhaps with another couple of years to its name.
Rich and thick palate. Very little heat. Sweet honey, peanuts, peanut brittle. Salted caramel. Oak and pepper develop, as well as some mild growing heat. Lovely Blend of sweet and savory, giving way to some strong bittering structure.
Finish:
Long and rich. Really rich nougat note. Some oak. Peanut brittle. Light pepper and pipe tobacco. Strong baking spices. Heat grows to be very strong in the finish, though.
Overall:
This was a really interesting ride, and one I really enjoyed. If the heat were a little tamer, this would be exceptional.
Score:
85
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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