Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey 2025 Release

Note: Profile shifts a little year to year since it's bottled at barrel proof with no adjustments.

Nose: oak and spice up front, lifted by bright fruit and a subtle apple note.

Palate: bold rye spice and oak, balanced with subtle fruit tones and a touch of dark chocolate.

Finish: lingering oak and vanilla, with warming spice that carries on long after the last sip.

• The only rye in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection lineup
• Bottled straight from the barrel, uncut and unfiltered, at a hefty 129.8 proof
• Barrels filled at 125 proof in 2018 climbed all the way to 129.8 proof after six years in the wood
• Named after Thomas H. Handy, the New Orleans bartender who put rye whiskey into the original Sazerac cocktail
• One of the most allocated ryes in the US, hard to find at list price

Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Kentucky is one of the most awarded distilleries in the world. Thomas H. Handy comes out once a year as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, alongside bottles like George T. Stagg and William Larue Weller. This 2025 release was distilled in spring 2018 and 2019 and aged in Warehouses N, L, AA and DD before bottling in the fall. It's named after the New Orleans bartender who first swapped brandy for rye whiskey in the Sazerac cocktail back in 1873, and the whiskey still carries that same bold, spicy character.racter.

• Gold Medal, International Wine & Spirits Competition, 2025
• The previous year's release picked up Gold at the 2025 London Spirits Challenge
• Part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, one of the most anticipated whiskey releases of the year

• The only rye in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection lineup
• Bottled straight from the barrel, uncut and unfiltered, at a hefty 128.8 proof
• Named after Thomas H. Handy, the New Orleans bartender who put rye whiskey into the original Sazerac cocktail
• One of the most allocated ryes in the US, hard to find at list price
• Full barrel proof, so no two years taste quite the same

Best neat to get the full barrel proof kick

A splash of water opens up the spice and fruit

Great for sharing. One pour and everyone will have an opinion

The 2025 Thomas H. Handy pushed all the way to 129.8 proof in the barrel, and it drinks every bit as bold as that number suggests. No filtering, no shortcuts, just spice, oak, and fruit straight from the wood. If you can get your hands on a bottle, it's worth having.