Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (Fall 2018)

Really enjoyed my neat pour of this one. Thick, dark, and really really viscous. A good balance of sweet and savory. Haven’t had either before and in name alone I couldn’t remember whether this BTAC one was the old but low proof or younger barrel proof. The way it drank I guessed 100% wrong. Very low ethanol, could not have told you this was the high proof stuff. Main clue was should have been how thick and viscous it was. Really nice cinnamon, oak, and hints of butterscotch. At first blush, this is a clear new favorite barely legal rye... sort of like pikesville if it were twice as thick. Didn’t double check if that’s accurate on the mashbill, but that’s what I’m tasting. Not as complex as some, but knows what it is and delivers 100% on that. Probably not worth hunting (what is really?) but enjoy if you can try some.

Fiery and hot, even with water, with lots of rye spice. With a bit of water, very rich, long lasting vanilla, a hint of tobacco maybe? Nice sweetness, brown sugar and butter flavor, which contrasts nicely with the vanilla. Kind of like good chocolate chip cookie dough, sans chips, but hot from the rye. It has a luxurious, full mouth feel - it really is buttery. I'd say drink it really slow, let it rest 10-15 minutes before really digging into it. The flavors open up more with time. I hit the jackpot with this one. This virtually jumps to the top of my favorite whiskey list, and I know it might be a long time before a bottle like this crosses my path again.

Pinnacle of rye, just not a huge fan of rye. I was able to try this during a very long night of whiskey tasting, but I was unfortunately unable to take good notes. I use the rating scale below. Distiller uses a scale of 5 and I use a scale of 10, but I’m sure you’re not too drunk to do the math! 1. Disgusting - So bad I poured it out. 2. Poor - I wouldn't consume by choice. 3. Bad - Multiple flaws. 4. Below average - Not bad, but many things I'd rather have. 5. Good - Just average. 6. Very Good - Better than average. 7. Great - Well above average. 8. Excellent - In a league of its own. 9. Incredible - An all-time favorite. 10. Perfect

I first tried THH on NYE 2018 at the House of Bourbon in New Orleans. Simply put...it was the best whiskey of any kind I’d ever tasted. I chalked it up to the moment but it stuck in my mind until I finally stumbled across a bottle for sale. I stand by my original impression...Pappy 15, Lot B, GTS, even the exalted BTAC Saz 18 y.o... you name it...they all fall under the bar that THH has set according to my tastes. If there is something better out there I surely can’t afford it. Five stars.

Nose (4.0): Nose is a little more subtle then I would have liked. Excellent aromas of candied apples, spice, and some dark chocolate. Palate (4.5): Exceptional balance. The flavors on the nose carry forward on the palate and are in excellent harmony. The spice builds but doesnt interupt what is going on here. So smooth for the higher proof makes it remarkable. Finish (4.5): Finishes as it started with subtle notes of cocoa and a delightful oak added on. Very sophisticated rye.

The color is a bright golden amber, heavily coating the glass. The nose is full of sweet and floral rye, with vanilla, soft sugar and a grassiness finishing it off. The palate immediately hits you with dry and spicy rye, that is at the same time very rich with vanilla and a slight bit of oak. It is a very simple palate, but all comes together as a big bundle of flavor that lingers in the mouth keeping it warm for a very long and wonderful finish.