To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour
-William Blake
Sitting with a great glass of whiskey is one of my favorite ways to wind down after a long week of challenging work. The melt-into-your-chair feeling of being properly tired and rewarding yourself with something delicious is a mechanism I know many whiskey enthusiasts lean into as well. When the auguries of innocence part ways is when that delicious sip can turn into a few sips too many. I've been there; I get it; it's an easy thing to slip into.
Whenever I pour a glass, I try to ask myself what the purpose of the pour is. Sometimes it is just to relax. Sometimes it's to be incredibly analytical, picking apart every nuance and trying to translate that into a retelling of my experience for you, my dear reader. There are many reasons to have a glass of whiskey, but always try to do so for the right reasons. There is such beauty in slowly savoring the intricate aroma and flavor of something that took a distillery team years to create. There are moments of sublime to be found in the young craft rye, the history of a long-standing brand, and the memory that a sip can pull from a place you thought you forgot. That's the wonder of whiskey.
As for the whiskey in my glass today, we've got the 2023 release of the Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye, a holdover I was lucky to stumble into 9 long months after it's October release date. The back label of the bottle features an intricate historical backstory, which reads:
In 1830, Thomas H. Handy was born in Maryland. Meanwhile, down in New Orleans a number of saloons veiled as coffee houses began lining the streets of the French Quarter. A young man named Antoine Peychaud Jr. began serving cocktails made with brand and his secret family recipe for bitters. The cocktail became famous and was dubbed the Sazerac Cocktail, after the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street. In 1847, Thomas H. Handy arrived in New Orleans. He immediately went to work for John Schiller at a liquor store on Royal Street. Schiller eventually bought the Sazerac Coffee House and Handy quickly became an expert barman, concocting fabulous Sazerac cocktails for his patrons. In 1869 Handy's friend and boss John Shiller died. Handy bought the coffee house and asked his friend Peychaud to join him in business. It was the great age of coffee houses in New Orleans and there was one on every corner. The New Orleans Times newspaper published an article stating, "The oldest and best known of these houses is the Sazerac." Thomas H. Handy was established and successful, but never content. In 1873, he altered the recipe for the Sazerac Cocktail by replacing French brandy with American rye whiskey. Patrons preferred the taste of rye whiskey over brandy because it was more robust and spicy. The whiskey had a bouquet of pepper and clove, and wonderful flavors including citrus and candied fruit. Thomas H. Handy Uncut and Unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey is bottled directly from the barrel, just as it was over a century ago. Enjoy the authentic American rye whiskey as a symbol of the timeless history of New Orleans and legacy of Thomas H. Handy.
Wondering if this is a whiskey worth chasing down? Are you the type of person who wants to drink the very best? Let's dive into a full review to find out if this is the whiskey for you.
Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey (product of Kentucky)
Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed, but assumed to be ~51% rye
Proof: 124.9°
Age: 6 years (and 2 months)
Further identification: This is the 2023 release of the youngest bottling in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection which carries the following stats:
Nose: On first lifting the glass to my nose, I find molasses, cherry pits, and lovely wood spice that rises up in a potent swirl. It's delectable from the get-go, clearly outclassing most of the pours I have in recent memory, including the 2023 release of George T. Stagg. Nosing further, I find marshmallow, praline, allspice, turmeric, and a faint hint of bubblegum that has been chewed almost to obliteration. It has great balance, never jumping into any off-putting territory. On the contrary, I find charming bits of expressed orange peel, magnolia flowers, and delicate pine boughs being warmed in the sunshine of early spring. I'm thoroughly enjoying this already. Let's dive into a sip.
Returning the nose to the glass after a few sips builds in aromas of Madagascar vanilla tea, buttercream frosting, black pepper pound cake, and oodles of confectioners sugar. It has a vaguely nostalgic background aroma, not like one specific memory but of a time gone by. For me, it's the family cookouts of the late 90s, when people still had time to connect with each other in a meaningful way. It's paper plates, plastic table covers, folding chairs, potato chips, macaroni salad, a dripping bathing suit, and smiles abound. The empty glass smells of walnut shells, almond biscotti, and a forest floor full of brown pine needles.
Palate: My first taste of this is like diving headfirst into a cornucopia of fruit. Zesty navel orange is most dominant, but well-supported by other cast members like cherry, plum, pear, white grape, and a juicy burst of grapefruit. Another sip is just as delicious as the first, as a squirt of lemon juice and vintage fresca soothes the senses in the same way that a loving parent ensures everything is taken care of when you're home sick as a child. My goodness, this is a creamy, dreamy delight. I love the balance between the sweet, spice, and cream layers here. It reminds me a bit of a bougie egg salad sandwich in that regard. Yum! Each sip only builds the intensity of flavor expressed without ever delivering a hot or off note. My last taste as the glass reaches empty produces raspberry, lemon yogurt, and thin mint candy. The mouth coating is thick, creamy, and sweet, reminiscent of a frozen Charleston chew melting in your mouth. It lingers just long enough to be truly satisfied and finishes with a slow curtain call fade to black as a standing ovation roars through the performance hall.
TL;DR: Lovely is the most apt word for this pour as Buffalo Trace shows off their best rye.
Rating: 4.5/5
This is a huge step up over the 2022 release. A wonderful presentation from start to finish; I have absolutely zero qualms with this pour. While it clearly outclasses a good majority of the whiskeys on the market today, it doesn't quite reach pinnacle status, lacking only a touch of wow factor. It's still a tremendous whiskey, and one I am surely glad to have on my shelf to share with friends.
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