There are bottles that carry weight before you even break the seal. The Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye, bottled in 2013, is one of them. Part of Buffalo Trace's annual Antique Collection — arguably the most anticipated release in American whiskey each autumn — the Handy sits alongside names like George T. Stagg and William Larue Weller as a benchmark for what uncut, unfiltered spirit can achieve. At 64.2% ABV, this is rye whiskey that makes no concessions. It arrives at barrel proof, exactly as it was pulled from the rickhouse, and it demands your full attention.
At £1,500, we are firmly in collector territory. Whether that figure represents fair value depends entirely on your relationship with American whiskey and how much you value a specific vintage from a specific year. The 2013 bottling has developed a strong reputation among Antique Collection devotees, and bottles from this era are becoming increasingly scarce on the secondary market. You are paying for provenance, rarity, and the particular character that the 2013 growing season and ageing conditions imparted to the grain.
What to Expect
This is a barrel-proof rye, and at 64.2% it wears that strength openly. Expect intensity. Expect spice — rye grain at this proof does not whisper. The Sazerac mash bill leans heavily on rye, and without chill filtration or dilution, every decision made during fermentation, distillation, and maturation is laid bare in the glass. There is nowhere to hide at this strength, which is precisely the point. The Antique Collection has always been about transparency: here is what we made, at full volume.
For those unfamiliar with the Handy specifically, it tends to be the most approachable of the Antique Collection releases despite its proof. Where Stagg can overwhelm with sheer oak and power, the Handy typically offers a more composed, spice-driven profile. The rye grain does the talking. It is a whiskey that rewards patience — a few drops of water will open it considerably, and I would encourage even seasoned cask-strength drinkers to experiment with dilution here.
The Verdict
I gave this an 8.1 out of 10, and I want to be transparent about why. The liquid itself is outstanding — barrel-proof rye from Buffalo Trace at this level of execution is genuinely difficult to fault. The intensity is controlled, the proof is carried with remarkable composure, and the 2013 vintage has aged into something with real distinction. Where I hold back slightly is on the value proposition. At £1,500, you are paying a significant premium driven by collectability and scarcity rather than by what is in the glass alone. Exceptional rye whiskey exists at a fraction of this price. But if you are seeking a specific piece of Antique Collection history, and you value the experience of tasting a barrel-proof rye from a celebrated vintage year, the Handy delivers. It is a serious whiskey for serious drinkers, and it earns its reputation honestly.
Best Served
Neat, in a Glencairn or small tulip glass, with a jug of room-temperature water beside it. Start undiluted to appreciate the full barrel-proof character, then add water in small increments — a few drops at a time — until the spice opens and the grain sweetens. At 64.2%, this whiskey transforms with dilution, and finding your preferred balance is half the pleasure. A large ice cube works for a second pour if you want to stretch the experience, but I would always taste it neat first. This is not a cocktail whiskey — at this price and this quality, let it speak for itself.
