Just what the category was missing -- a stellar, young, barrel-proof rye whiskey. Hugely spicy, with piercing mint, fiery cinnamon, vanilla, coconut, and fennel. Underlying notes of caramel, honey, and Seville orange provide some civility. It has more zing and richness than other young rye whiskeys, and it lacks the tired woodiness of the majority of the older rye expressions on the market. A clean, powerful, vibrant whisky that is a must for any rye enthusiast.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2007)

This offers up warming ginger, candied orange, and wisps of furniture polish. The lavish and leathery oak flavors are apparent but don’t overwhelm the abundance of zippy, bright citrus—orange oil and yuzu—as the palate unleashes wave upon wave of spices that keep you guessing where it will head next. In the end, more lingering ginger and dusty cocoa.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2018)

Surprisingly light and fresh for a 15 year old whiskey. Crisply spiced, with cinnamon, evergreen, vanilla, anise, and teaberry. Hints of dried fruit, kissed with light honey and a wisp of smoke. Balanced and clean throughout, and very drinkable. An excellent whiskey! Price is per 375ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

Aged in French oak chardonnay barrels for eight years after six years in new charred oak. Notes of vanilla, crème brûlée, butterscotch, toasted coconut, bright fruit, and polished oak. Clean, gently sweet finish. The chardonnay oak aging adds a new dimension without dominating. A distinctive, stylish whisky with excellent balance.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2007)

The barrel was heated to 102°F for 23 minutes to dry the wood. A lush, silky-textured bourbon and very seductive. Caramel, coconut cream, marzipan, vanilla wafer and bright honeyed fruit abound, while teasing notes of tobacco, anise, subtle mint and a suggestion of bitter chocolate offer intrigue. A broad-shouldered, heavyweight bourbon with plenty of grit.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Aged in French oak barrels, in which the staves were air-dried for 24 months. Incredibly rich notes of caramel, chewy toffee, and maple syrup. All this sweetness is balanced nicely by firm, polished oak, and the whiskey is kept lively with delicate candied fruit and crisp mint. Dry, elegant finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

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. Nicely balanced flavors, and complex. Spices dance on the palate (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg), balanced by underlying caramel and butterscotch, and subtle honeyed orchard fruit. Lingering, well-rounded finish. A fabulous wheated bourbon!  Price is per 375 ml. Editor's Choice.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2015)

Aged in slow-growth wood. I love the balance in this whiskey, with all the flavors presented harmoniously. Rather lively for a bourbon approaching 15 years. Notes of bright fruit (peach, kiwi, golden raisin), soft vanilla, crème caramel, lemon meringue, and coconut macaroon, then drying out nicely to a rather sophisticated, cinnamon-tinged, polished oak finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Cereal grain notes and fresh-cut oak suggest some youthfulness here, but the stone fruits and hot caramel sundae appear dense and richly layered. On the palate the big, up-front sweetness evolves into nougat, marzipan, and caramel-covered apple, sprinkled with root beer spices, before more grain and pastry notes appear on the finish. Powerful and vibrant stuff.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2018)

The youthful, testosterone-laden member of the Antique Collection family. Bold and spicy with cinnamon and clove, but softened and balanced by thick toffee, vanilla, and honeyed orchard fruit. Lush and mouth-coating. An exercise in extremes: bold, muscular spice, along with soothing sweeter notes. While its older sibling, Sazerac 18 year old, expresses a classic “older rye” low-risk profile, Handy pushes the envelope in many directions.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2013)

The youngster in the 2011 Antique Collection. One taste and its relative youth is confirmed. (But no worries; it’s mature enough to enjoy neat or with some water (and would be a killer in cocktails). This is rye whiskey in its most vibrant, masculine, and purest form. Bold spice (fresh evergreen, warming cinnamon), honey-coated orchard fruit, golden raisin, caramel, and brandy with a crisp, clean finish. The American equivalent to a young, cask-strength, smoky Islay whisky.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2011)

One of the best Handy offerings yet. Very vibrant with dynamic spice (firm mint, warming cinnamon, allspice, hint of clove) and lush fruit (citrus, orchard fruit, golden raisin, brandy, and teasing coconut), all tamed by a bed of soothing caramel and honey. It’s not easy for a whiskey to come across as excitingly youthful, yet nicely matured. It’s a difficult balance to achieve, but this whiskey pulls it off. Editor's Choice

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2011)

Richer and fuller when compared to the Standard Stave Drying Time variant in this Experimental Collection. Sweeter too, with creamy layers of vanilla and caramel. The extended drying time influence tames the dried spice and oak resin and is proof that extended stave aging really benefits older bourbons that might otherwise be dominated by oak. Sadly, with whiskey in such demand, I doubt many bourbon producers will take the time to age the staves longer. Price per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2014)

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)

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)

Full-throttle rye, bottled uncut and unfiltered. Bold spice notes (cinnamon, allspice, mint), lush fruit (ripe orchard fruit, golden raisin), orange liqueur, and subtle coconut, all on a bed of caramel and honeyed vanilla. Clean and uncluttered. This isn’t a one-trick pony. It’s the sweetness and fruit that accompany the rye spice that makes this whiskey so attractive.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2012)

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. Darker, more intense and mysterious in personality when compared to its two siblings. Notes of barrel char, roasted nuts, polished oak, and tobacco, peppered with dried spice. Fortunately, sweet notes of toffee, maple syrup, and caramel stand up to the dry notes and provide balance. Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2015)