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Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey - Bottled Fall 2003


Paradox
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I’ve been meaning to do a tasting on last years 2003 release of Sazerac and after some discussion this morning I got out the pen and paper a little bit ago and got to drinking.

Name: Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Info: Unlike previous versions, this one does not contain any distillation info, just a bottled on area which says “Fall 2003â€

Distillery: Distilled, aged and bottled by Sazerac Company, Frankfort, KY. <Buffalo Trace Distillery>

Cost: $42.99

Proof: 90 Proof, (45% Alcohol by Volume).

Bottle: Round, tall skinny bottle with a rather thin neck that is about 4†high. The same bottle is/was also used for Weller 19, Eagle Rare 17, Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10yo and George T. Stagg.

Color: Copper with a light honey glow around the edges.

Nose: Very inviting, not too overpowering and not too light. I get an almost ‘floral’ bouquet from it. After writing these notes up, I ran a search to see what others have thought of Sazerac and come to find it I am not the only one who though it was ‘floral’. (Thank God! lol.gif)

Taste: Spicy up front but with no real burn in the mouth. It’s a very nice warm mellow spice that compliments the nose very much.

Finish: After the spice subsides a bit that floral type aroma comes back as well as a bit of mint. Quite dry as well…

Overall: I really like this year’s release of Sazerac. I have had another one in the past (I think an 01’) and for some reason I seem to like this one better. In the past I always had preferred VWFRR a little bit more, but after having a new bottle of VWFRR a few weeks back and this Sazerac I prefer the Sazerac. It just goes to show how each release can change from year to year, so always be willing to try a different release if one year you found it to be just a little ‘off’. You never know how things may change…

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Good Job Mark grin.gif

Spicy up front but with no real burn in the mouth.

That quote...convinced me that I would like it grin.gif Not that I would buy it but I know that I would like it lol.giflol.giflol.gif

grin.gifgrin.gif Bettye Jo grin.gifgrin.gif

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I previously compared Sazerac Rye, Fall 2003 with Elijah Craig 18 YO. I described both as floral. If you have an open bottle of EC 18YO, try these side by side.

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I thought that someone said that those two bottlings resemble each other...Thanks for reminding me.

I just love EC 18. Mark, is going to bring me a some of his Sazerac in Sept. We will make a comparison then.

grin.gifgrin.gif Bettye Jo grin.gifgrin.gif

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Thanks for posting your notes. I sold all my Sazerac and should list in my "regrets" not keeping a bottle back. Looking forward to the next batch around Sept so I can actually drink some.

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Nice review Mark toast.gif

I am really beginning to enjoy bourbons/whiskies with floral notes in the nose and palate. This one is really quite nice and well balanced. One might think that after 18 years, such delicate notes would be overpowered by wood, but the Saz' pulls it all together quite nicely. yum.gif

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Just got back from a family vacation that included stops at the Liquor Barn near Lexington, KY and Binnys in the Chicago area (these were not actually scheduled family vacation stops). I managed to pick up a number of bottles not available where I live in SC. They included: Sazerac Rye, Corner Creek, Rowans Creek, Elmer T Lee, Weller Centennial, Black Maple Hill 14, and Hirsch 16. I'm particularly looking forward to a taste of the Sazerac after reading these descriptions. Actually, after driving 3,000 miles with the kids in the back of the van I'm ready for a taste of anything.

Craig

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  • 2 months later...
  • 8 months later...

I found a bottle of this yesterday at Binny's Express here on the South Side and snatched it up immediately. I've been looking for it for a while. Having just finished a rather intimate experience with the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (see my post under that heading), I was eager to compare the Sazerac. While the nose was spectacular (reminding me of summer winds in Provence, France, where herbs and citrus sea air waft everywhere), I thought the finish was a tad too woody. I was still mightily impressed, but compared to the VWFRR I didn't enjoy it as much. I wish I could try a younger Sazerac, maybe a 12 year or even younger. Overall this 18 year may be just "over the hill."

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My understanding is that there is a soon to be released 6yo Sazerac rye in the works, sometime this fall I believe.

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I'll be very happy if this is so. Probably hard for me to find (the 18 was), but it's certain to be worth it (the 18 was).

Bob

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My understanding is that there is a soon to be released 6yo Sazerac rye in the works, sometime this fall I believe.

I, too, thought the 18yo was way too woody (lovely nose, though, as doc points out) so I´m really looking forward to this younger expression.

Hopefully it won´t be as much of a headache to track down as Stagg has proven to be for us non-Americans. Here´s hoping!

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