Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (Fall 2017)

Nose: Gingerbread, baking spices, orange zest, caramel, molasses, dill, cinnamon, and a bit of lemon. Palate: Spices (black pepper, cardamom, clove, and cinnamon), peach, cherry, rosemary, caramel. Finish: Incredibly long, drying finish with herbal rosemary notes accompanied by ginger and bright citrus. At the first sip, this hits you hard. It's powerful and dry. It has a long, dry finish that you can feel from your throat down to your stomach. The nose isn't too intense, with a surprisingly fruity profile, along with typical rye spices and an interesting lemon note. The palate is complex and tasty. Oak is present throughout, along with all the rye and baking spices you could want. Some notes of peach and cherry are also present. This is a fantastic rye.

The aroma is oaky and creamy, featuring notes of toasted rye, vanilla, and toffee. The taste is rich and dry, filling the mouth with a sweet and spicy rye perfectly balanced by toffee, while vanilla remains in the background. The finish is medium-long with a persistent rye spiciness balanced by toffee, maintaining sweetness. It's not a complex spirit, but it excels in every aspect.

Aroma: Vanilla, apricot, a significant amount of oak, a touch of peppermint, and some dusty corn characteristics. Flavor: Spicy with a good deal of apricot and still more mint in the background. Aftertaste: Oaky and fruity with hot cinnamon and clove notes. A medium-long finish with lingering spices and more stone fruit. Amazing! While not overly intricate, the spicy, fruity taste is outstanding!

It’s like seeing someone you haven’t seen in ages! The classic aroma of a rye, but not too much. A sweet scent of fruit and flowers. The taste is mellow, which is surprising given the high proof. Good rye spice and a hint of smoke. A wonderful peppery end, similar to a gourmet peppercorn sauce. Absolutely fantastic!!!

When neat, the aroma is barely noticeable. Adding a drop or two of water improves it. There's a lot of heat, spice, and oak, but the flavors don't have the staying power of Stagg. I'd pick the Willett 4 year over this if I wanted rye, particularly given the price.

The aroma is of sweet caramel/vanilla and oak, with hardly any heat. The taste, after coating the tongue, is very drying and spicy, complex. The finish is long with a lingering spice and plenty of heat, but I don't get that warm chest feeling that I associate with GTS.