Sazerac Rye 18 Year (Fall 2018)

The color is a vibrant amber that clings thickly to the glass with the slightest movement. The aroma is potent but not overpowering, featuring floral rye, sweet fruit, leather, and a hint of apple pie spice. The taste is somewhat dry, with the floral rye fully occupying the mouth, followed by oak and leather, with hints of vanilla, smoke, and baking spices completing the experience. The finish is medium-long, with the rye remaining prominent while the other flavors meld and fade. Despite its 18 years, the oak is a subtle player, making this an ideal choice for sipping aged rye.

I genuinely dislike this. I'm not sure why this hasn't been discontinued from the BTAC lineup. It's truly awful. The nose smells great, but then it hits your taste buds... and it goes downhill. It tastes like turpentine – yes, floor cleaner. It's thin, not viscous, and tastes like it was crafted in someone's garage, not by a top-tier distillery. I adore Handy; I would never spend more than $5 per pour of this. I don't appreciate the MSRP, let alone the secondary market price for this one! Apologies, BTAC, you aren't flawless.

A fantastic rye packed with nuts and spices like pecans, walnuts, cloves, chili, and Big Red gum, followed by brown sugar, maple syrup, spearmint, grass, a touch of agave nectar, cherries, stewed red apples, caramel, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla.

Apricot on the nose. Vanilla sweetness, possibly with underlying licorice, and a smooth rye finish.

Smooth with a gentle warmth. The aroma and taste are of sweet rye, mint, and vanilla.

For me, it's not as enjoyable as Handy, but it's a very different Rye. It's softer.