BOTM 10/10: Sazerac Rye

I'm of an interesting opinion on this one: I absolutely love Thomas Handy Sazerac, and am not a fan of the younger NAS Sazerac. While Thomas Handy is one of my (if not the) favorite whiskeys that can be found with some sort of regularity (it may be limited, but nothing compared to certain spectacular willett bottlings and other very limited single barrels), I will pass up Sazerac any chance I get.

With one exception. When making a sazerac cocktail, I find a saz dominant sazerac with a dash of the 18 year old and Handy thrown in is exceptional.

I really like Baby Saz, and I love Handy. There isn't anything to compare them to, is there?

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Originally Posted by SMOWK

I really like Baby Saz, and I love Handy. There isn't anything to compare them to, is there?

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Russell's Reserve Rye , when found. Have noticed some rye white dog , talk about a wallup.

Sazerac is great. A lot of people call it "baby" or "junior". I think the more aged version should be called Handy, and the regular version just Sazerac. Anyway, if I have some in the cabinet, other stuff often gets ignored. It costs around $30 locally. Sazerac seems very different compared to WT Rye or Rittenhouse. (Those are the three I can recomend). I wonder if Sazerac is more like a Maryland Rye?

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Originally Posted by PaulO

Sazerac is great. A lot of people call it "baby" or "junior". I think the more aged version should be called Handy, and the regular version just Sazerac.

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I think you may be confusing 2 of the Antique Collection items. Sazerac Rye 18 years old, 90 proof, is not the same as Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Uncut Unfiltered (no age statement, proof varies).

Check their website.

I agree that Handy should drop the 'sazerac' from their name.

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Originally Posted by matthew0715

I agree that Handy should drop the 'sazerac' from their name.

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Handy and Sazerac share quite a unique flavor. Isn't it the same whiskey, with the Handy being "specially" selected and bottled uncut?

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Originally Posted by matthew0715

I think you may be confusing 2 of the Antique Collection items. Sazerac Rye 18 years old, 90 proof, is not the same as Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey Uncut Unfiltered (no age statement, proof varies).

Check their website.

I agree that Handy should drop the 'sazerac' from their name.

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Both Sazerac 18 and Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye have greater age than the standard Sazerac Rye, the THSR being eight years old and the latter six. But I can see why there is some occasional confusion. I enjoy Sazerac Rye but it doesn't knock my socks off and I definitely won't be buying another bottle any time soon. It's simply too bland for my tastes, and when I'm drinking rye I want to be bowled over by spicey flavor and aroma. I find, more so than with bourbon, that once I've hard the "exquisite" stuff (THSR, VWFRR, Saz 18, Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel and the less expensive Rittenhouse and WT Rye), I can't go back to the "smooth" ryes like Baby Saz and Templeton. That's not to say that I wouldn't enjoy them if someone offered me a pour, only that I wouldn't seek them out when the others are available.

i dont like the Baby Saz at all. i prefer a bit of kick to my ryes. but the Saz has this sweetness that tastes like cherry elixir on my palate.

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Originally Posted by foxflyer5

i dont like the Baby Saz at all. i prefer a bit of kick to my ryes. but the Saz has this sweetness that tastes like cherry elixir on my palate.

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It does have a sweetness to it that is found in no other ryes. That is what I meant when I said, "There isn't anything to compare them to, is there?" I didn't mean that it was "beyond comparison".

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Originally Posted by unclebunk

Both Sazerac 18 and Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye have greater age than the standard Sazerac Rye, the THSR being eight years old and the latter six. But I can see why there is some occasional confusion. I enjoy Sazerac Rye but it doesn't knock my socks off and I definitely won't be buying another bottle any time soon. It's simply too bland for my tastes, and when I'm drinking rye I want to be bowled over by spicey flavor and aroma. I find, more so than with bourbon, that once I've hard the "exquisite" stuff (THSR, VWFRR, Saz 18, Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel and the less expensive Rittenhouse and WT Rye), I can't go back to the "smooth" ryes like Baby Saz and Templeton. That's not to say that I wouldn't enjoy them if someone offered me a pour, only that I wouldn't seek them out when the others are available.

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To correct my own post, I've just been reading that the THSR is, in fact, six years old, not eight as I had previously commented. I'm not sure where I got eight from? Has it always been six years old?