Thomas Handy 2010

[Virus_Of_Life]

"Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye is an uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2004 and aged on the third and fourth floors of Warehouses K, M and P. It is 126.9 proof. The flavor is cinnamon and allspice, with a bold lingering finish."

I know this has been said before, but how does a 6 year old product belong in the Antique Collection?! Am I the only one getting tired of paying ~$70 a bottle for 6 yo uncut whiskey yet seeing members of our board find superior (IMHO) 5-8 yo stuff and having it bottled privately at substantially less cost per bottle.

Sorry BT, but you'll only get me to purchase one bottle of this, and judging from the 08 and 09s still sitting on shelves around here I am not the only one. It's high time to seriously consider a change to the BTAC. Keep it Antique for those truly old bottlings, but come up a new moniker for your uncut stuff and price it more fairly. I've said it before the Buffalo Trace Uncut Collection would be just fine, and now that Tom Moore is in the fold I am sure another bottling or two could be introduced to make it 3 of each.

Of course this is just my opinion.

[DeanSheen]

I agree that it is a marketing gaffe. Considering I can get 2 bottles of Baby Saz and have money left over Handy has little to offer in terms of value to the consumer.

I really like Handy and would prefer it if it was a regular product instead of a once yearly release. While I'm daydreaming make it a little cheaper too.

[BigRich]

I completely agree. I never understood this one either.

[matthew0715]

Sorry BT, but you'll only get me to purchase one bottle of this...

[Virus_Of_Life]

And about the word Antique, Weller used it on 7 y.o. juice (now NAS) so what's the big deal. I believe they are referring to the style of whiskey, not actual age.

You're probably right, when it was introduced as a 17 and 19 year old bourbon and an 18 year old rye they probably didn't intend for the age to relate whatsoever to the term "Antique".

[ThomasH]

The big difference between Weller Antique and Handy is price. 20.00 a 750 for the former and 60.00+ for the latter. 3.00 per year of age vs. 10.00+ per year of age is quite a significant difference. I can get Saz jr. for 26.00 a 750 regularly too so the Handy is of no significance to me at all. I got one from the first year and that was it. I consider it to be some considerable whiskey sticker shock and nothing else!

Thomas

[Josh]

As I have said before, I too think that the Handy is overpriced. BT folks, how about making Handy a regular release at $45? Just throwing that out there.

[smokinjoe]

As I mentioned in another thread, I am not thrilled to lay out $70 for any of the special releases, from any of the distilleries. It is certainly reducing the quantities that I'm buying. Unfortunately, that's about the competitive price point for these types of releases, be it 4R, WT, HH, or BT. The thing that makes the THH special for me, is that it's an Uncut, Unfiltered, Big 'ol Tasty STRAIGHT RYE. And, those types of puppies ain't necessarily growin' on trees. I too, love the Saz Jr., particularly at $26. But, even though it's from the same family as THH, I just can't use it as a comparison from a worth standpoint, to THH. Night and day, IMO. All this being said, I wouldn't mind a release with a few more years on it. But, every year that I've had so far has been stellar, regardless of the less than "antique type" age statement. That's why my ryedar will be pinging for Handy next month when it's released. Damn, it's only 11:19 and I done gots me a hankerin' for some Handy. :crazy:

[ErichPryde]

I can get Saz jr. for 26.00 a 750 regularly too so the Handy is of no significance to me at all. I got one from the first year and that was it. I consider it to be some considerable whiskey sticker shock and nothing else!

Thomas

Same mashbill, totally different whiskey. We don't even have any idea how old the NAS saz is anymore anyway (other than 4+).

As for being a regular release: There are only so many "good" barrels around, which is unfortunate.

[DeanSheen]

As for being a regular release: There are only so many "good" barrels around, which is unfortunate.

I don't even know what this means.

6 year old barrel proof Baby Saz = Handy. Have you had non-Handy barrel proof Baby Saz and compared it to Handy?

[callmeox]

Same mashbill, totally different whiskey. We don't even have any idea how old the NAS saz is anymore anyway (other than 4+).

Weller SR and Antique are bottled from the same barrel dumps. As it was told to me by a BT employee, "if the SR loses its age statement, then worry."

Count me in with the "too much for what you get" crowd wrt THH. It is too hot straight and even cut the price diff isn't worth it being unftered.

I consider myself a rye guy, too.

[Josh]

6 year old barrel proof Baby Saz = Handy. Have you had non-Handy barrel proof Baby Saz and compared it to Handy?

[smokinjoe]

It would probably be easier to do the opposite and water the Handy down to the same proof as baby Saz. I have done this, and although I didn't have any baby Saz handy (no pun intended) for the sake of comparison, Handy seemed to lose its remarkability at that lower proof.

Erik's point about barrel selection is a valid one, but being a bear of very little brain, I don't understand why a barrel proof Sazerac is $70 when a barrel proof Four Roses is $55, a barrel proof Wild Turkey is $40, and a (virtually) barrel proof Old Grandad is $25. Other than the fact that people are willing to pay that much for it.

[Virus_Of_Life]

But, a comparison of the price of 3 barrel proof bourbons with the price of a barrel proof rye (the only BP rye) is like, as the adage goes, comparing apples and oranges.

[sgtgto]

Yup. And as long as you keep buying it.. they will keep raising the prices until it stabilizes out. There is obviously people out there that are willing to pay 120$ a bottle for the stuff, as evident from multiple online sources. As long as it keeps "selling out" within months of it's release, BT has every right to raise the price. Supply and demand.

I doubt they will listen to whining and complaining. Want to really kick BT where it counts? Don't buy it.

[ErichPryde]

I don't even know what this means.

6 year old barrel proof Baby Saz = Handy. Have you had non-Handy barrel proof Baby Saz and compared it to Handy?

The barrels that were selected for Thomas Handy are the "best of the best," and were selected specifically for a specific profile. I don't think that profile lines up exactly with the regular sazerac profile, although it is similar.

I actually just cut some 2008 handy with water, and although I agree that it does lose some of its flavor and punch, I do not agree that it tastes the same as regular sazerac. partly this has to be because Saz is NAS while the 08 handy is nearly 7 years old, and secondly because of barrel selection (also, the lack of chill-filtering may have something to do with it). I challenge any of you who happen to have both on hand to do the same thing- they are the same mashbill but they are not the same whiskey. Even cut 50/50 with water, I think that the handy tastes better. Of course, taste is very subjective.

Look, to a point I'm with you guys here- I'd love to see it offered at a lower price point. But Joe is right, there simply is no other whiskey on the market that is anything like Thomas Handy, and as long as the rules of supply and demand keep being met it will keep being sold. If you don't like it, don't buy it.

What I really want to see is more ryes at a reasonable age, PERIOD. If there was a 10 year old rittenhouse expression at 100 proof, I'd buy it. if there was a 10 year old Sazerac expression, I'd buy that too. But until there's more of a market demand for rye in general, I just don't see anyone making any more that are worth salt.

[Josh]

What I really want to see is more ryes at a reasonable age, PERIOD. If there was a 10 year old rittenhouse expression at 100 proof, I'd buy it. if there was a 10 year old Sazerac expression, I'd buy that too. But until there's more of a market demand for rye in general, I just don't see anyone making any more that are worth salt.

hear hear! Why does Rittenhouse have to be either NAS or over 20 y/o?

We do need more ryes at a reasonable age (RaaRA). Kudos as always to Julian and the Van Winkles for the FRR. Ball's in your court, everybody else!

[smokinjoe]

Our hope may lie in......................Beam.

When they released (Ri)1, they said there was going to be a (Ri)2 and (Ri)3. Hopefully, they're reading our discussion, and will answer our prayers of an extra aged, uncut, unfiltered rye, with one of those two.

But, until then, I'm very happy with Handy.

[barturtle]

Our hope may lie in......................Beam.

When they released (Ri)1, they said there was going to be a (Ri)2 and (Ri)3. Hopefully, they're reading our discussion, and will answer our prayers of an extra aged, uncut, unfiltered rye, with one of those two.

But, until then, I'm very happy with Handy.

That may be so, but looking at the price of (Ri)1, I'm thinking the 2 and 3 versions will be more expensive than Handy...

[unclebunk]

That may be so, but looking at the price of (Ri)1, I'm thinking the 2 and 3 versions will be more expensive than Handy...

And come in the same shitty looking bottle to boot.

[smokinjoe]

That may be so, but looking at the price of (Ri)1, I'm thinking the 2 and 3 versions will be more expensive than Handy...

[Virus_Of_Life]

That may be so, but looking at the price of (Ri)1, I'm thinking the 2 and 3 versions will be more expensive than Handy...

[barturtle]

Suddenly I have a thirst for some Beam Rye, while my inventory says I have a bottle here somewhere, I think it'll be easier to just go the the store...might even splurge on a (Ri)1...

[smokinjoe]

Suddenly I have a thirst for some Beam Rye, while my inventory says I have a bottle here somewhere, I think it'll be easier to just go the the store...might even splurge on a (Ri)1...

[nor02lei]

What I really want to see is more ryes at a reasonable age, PERIOD. If there was a 10 year old rittenhouse expression at 100 proof, I'd buy it.

Actually there were one here several years ago Erik and it is still my favourite rye in the taste per buck division. I still have one left in my bunker.

I do agree 100 % with your reasoning about the lack of “middle†old ryes.

Leif