Distilled in 2008, this is always the youngest whiskey in the Collection. The boldest and spiciest too! A blast of mint, clove, and cinnamon leads the spice charge, with fig, dates, caramel-coated nuts, vanilla, and candied fruit. Well-integrated flavors, and a smart balance of youth and maturity.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2015)

Nicely round flavor profile, with complex notes of creamy vanilla, subtle tropical fruit, mocha, fennel seed, and light tobacco. Lingering cinnamon spice and cocoa on the finish. An extremely drinkable whiskey that entertains throughout. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2015)

Distilled in 2002, this is the youngest of the collection, allowing the vibrancy and boldness of the rye grain to shine through (and an interesting comparison to the Sazerac 18 year old). Lush fruit, Seville orange, gin botanicals, fresh mint, golden raisin, dried pineapple, coconut, and honeydew melon, tamed by soothing caramel and vanilla. Lingering dried fruit and spice finish. Not excessively aggressive like some young ryes I’ve tasted. I really like the dark sugar notes and lushness in this year’s release that provide balance. One of the best Handys.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2010)

Aged in Zinfandel barrels for eight years after spending six years in new charred oak. Intriguing spice (mint, cocoa, cinnamon), along with molasses, roasted nuts, and delicately textured fruit (blackberry, boysenberry). Nice interplay between the fruit, sweet notes, and dried spice which emerges on the second half of the palate.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2007)

Aged in a Cabernet Franc barrel for 8 years after spending 6 years in new charred oak barrels. Bright amber, with maple syrup, vanilla, candy corn, white chocolate, cinnamon, and ripe berried fruit. Nice tannic grip, especially on the finish. Great balance between the sweetness, fruit, and tannins. This is what finishing is all about: giving more than it takes away (or masks). Nicely done!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2008)

Darker in both flavor and personality when compared to its sibling. Rich palate-coating caramel and toffee provide the foundation for roasted nuts, dark berry fruit, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and polished leather. Long, satisfying finish. Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection French Oak Barrel Aged Bourbons 2015 Release. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2015)

Complex and robust, with the biggest body of the group here. Very spicy (brisk clove, evergreen, warming cinnamon), but a solid sweet underbelly of toffee, caramel, and vanilla balances it. Its dry spicy finish makes a bold statement, without crossing the line. Very nice! Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2014)

Smooth, with gently layered sweet notes; nicely balanced. The least amount of oak and just a peppering of cinnamon and mint influence compared to the other four releases. It’s the most versatile of the four too.Not as complex as the “Rye 125”, but it makes up for this with its inviting drinkability and balance. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2014)

Powerful, lush, and boldly spicy. A mouth-coating, invigorating rye whiskey with chewy toffee, fig cake, and candied fruit penetrated by thumping mint, warming cinnamon, and clove, ultimately revealing more subtle notes of allspice, coconut, and nutmeg. Long, delicious finish. An amazingly vibrant whiskey that lets you know you’re alive. The American whiskey equivalent of a young, cask-strength Islay single malt scotch or an imperial IPA.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

Richly flavored and surprisingly sweet on the nose and front of the palate. A tactile whiskey: creamy, yet becoming resinous toward the finish. Notes of vanilla saltwater taffy, roasted nuts, tobacco, and molasses. An intriguing whiskey, and my favorite of the three.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2011)

Each of these three bourbons was distilled and bottled at the same time, and aged in the same warehouse for 12 years and 3 months. The main variable was the floor they were aged on. In theory, the higher up in the warehouse, the greater the temperature variation, and the more wood influence. Does the experiment support this general concept? Yes, with the sweet spot being the middle floor. Similar sweet notes as its sibling aged in floor #1 (caramel, honey, ripe fruit), but with an additional layer of dried spice (cinnamon, vanilla, clove) to accompany it. It has all the components of a fine bourbon, and it’s also nicely balanced, with good oak grip on the finish. The best of the three. Price is per 375 ml

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2014)

Light bronze color. Thick, mature aromas, with notes of subtle spice (vanilla, mint), toffee, light molasses and leather. Adding a little water revealing notes of teaberry, anise, and dark candied fruit. Pleasantly sweet at first in flavor, with notes of brown sugar and spice (vanilla, mint), becoming dry with enveloping flavors of oak and leather. With a little water, more subtle flavors are revealed, including toffee, dark fruit, and anise. The whisky finishes long and dry with significant depth. This is a big exciting bourbon, full of character from the distillery previously known as Ancient Age. The price is right too-if you can find the whiskey to buy it.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2000)

Buffalo Trace distilled a wheated bourbon and aged barrels from the same distillation date on three different floors (1, 5 and 9) for 12 ½ years to see what the differences would be. This is similar to an experiment they conducted last year using a rye mashbill bourbon. As you will see, the higher the floor, the more intense the flavors, and the greater the wood influence. Gentle and easygoing. Creamy texture, with layered sweet notes of caramel, vanilla, marzipan, and crème brûlée. Soft background spice lingers on a delicate, soothing finish. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2015)

Distilled in 2010, this is always the youngest whiskey in the Collection, and is younger than last year’s release. I feel this is a slight liability, as it comes across a bit green and harsh for a Handy. Bold and spicy, with mint, clove, and cinnamon leading the way. Fig, caramel, and candied fruit round out the palate, but its youthfulness supersedes on the finish. One of the weaker offerings of Handy.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2016)

Nicely rounded and very drinkable. Warming cinnamon, vanilla bean, and dried fruit, wrapped up in creamy caramel and light toffee. Pleasant, gently sweet finish. Great anytime. 375ml

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2016)

A six-plus year old, barrel-strength rye whiskey. Young rye whiskeys show the true personality of the rye grain, and this is an excellent example. Bold spice notes of fresh mint, fiery cinnamon, and resinous clove. Sweeter notes of candied fruit, brandy, caramel, honey-tinged vanilla, and a suggestion of marzipan add balance. If you like your whiskeys young, bold, and unforgiving, this one’s for you.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2008)

Light in body, with creamy notes of vanilla and honey married with orchard fruit. All this is balanced by warming dried spice on the finish. Very enjoyable. Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection French Oak Barrel Aged Bourbon 2015 Release. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2015)

More caramelized sugars (caramel and toffee), with darker fruit than the 105 and 90. More oak spice influence too, but balanced nicely by the sweeter notes. Mouth-coating, viscous, and lubricating in texture. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2013)