Is there a rye that is similar to THH

[FasterHorses]

Probably has been talked about but i guess i missed it. 

[flahute]

Start with Sazerac Rye.

[FasterHorses]

4 hours ago, flahute said:

Start with Sazerac Rye.

Yeah i know theyre the same geneology. 
But they arent in the same realm. Is there a six-ish year BP that approaches what is achieved with THH. 

[smokinjoe]

I’ll have to think about market perception and success, but I have tasted no other rye that has a similar taste profile of Handy (or Baby Saz, of course).  It’s warm baking spice notes are one of a kind.  

[Kepler]

This is an interesting question.  Here are a couple of articles on the topic, but I can't say either recommendation for a THH alternative really hits the mark.

 

https://www.breakingbourbon.com/article/buffalo-trace-antique-collection-alternatives

 

https://www.fredminnick.com/2021/10/06/cant-find-buffalo-trace-antique-collection-bourbons-here-are-five-replacements/

 

Definitely not the Redemption.  The MGP rye dill flavor note is about as far away from THH as you can get and still call it the same spirit.

 

Now I do think Fred is on to something because of all the 'barely legal' 51% ryes on the market that are high proof, the KC CS is probably the closet facsimile.  But it still doesn't really taste very similar to THH.

 

Other barely legal high-proof ryes... WTRB or RRSiB?  Nope.  Pikesville?  Not really.  Ditto for Kentucky Owl.

I think Joe above is right,... there is no real substitute.

 

Perhaps the new CEHT BP Rye I keep hearing about might be interesting, but it will surely be as hard to find as THH, if not more so.

 

[Clueby]

The local STL distillery Sill 630 has a yearly release of a 5 year BP rye. Their release from 2018 was VERY THH-like. Dome of the other years were similar but not quite like that one. They have a 10 year from that same time period coming soon that I can't wait to try.

FWIW, I don't think Baby Saz tastes much like THH. I've never tried proofing down THH to see but it seems to be a different profile. Saz is more fruity to me.

I've said it numerous times before but THH should be an ongoing release. I don't see a reason a 6 year old BP rye should be a once a year release as part of BTAC. It should be BT's version of Pikesville.

[LCWoody]

No

[Bourserker]

Being a big rye fan I have found nothing that tastes like THH...it seems to be one of a kind, and that's a bummer because I love that stuff but will probably never get one again.  Not unless BT removes it from the BTAC collection as was suggested above.  I never understood it's place in that collection. 

[TBoner]

Been looking for a replacement for Handy since roughly 2012, which I when I gave up trying to track down BTAC stuff.

 

MGP distills a barely-legal rye, and lately Sagamore has been bottling "Barrel Select" batches in which a barrel of standard MGP 95/5 rye is blended with a barrel of 51/49 rye from MGP. The one I just picked up from a trusted local is 7 years and 110 proof. Is it close to Handy? It'll be a while before I find out. I'm not consuming at the moment due to an upcoming surgery, but I am at least a little hopeful based on reviews and tasting notes of other Barrel Select batches.