Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (2016 Antique Collection)

Name: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (2016 Antique Collection)
Brand: Buffalo Trace
SKU: 088004000035-16
Price: 899.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Price

$899.95

/

✔ Authenticated by the house — seal, fill level, and label inspected before release
✔ Documented provenance on every bottle
✔ Climate-safe, collector-grade packaging

Age: 6 Years 3 Months (2016 Release) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 126.2

Secure payments

Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

126.2

Proof

63.1%

ABV

750 mL

Format

6Y 3M

Age at Bottling

26.8%

Loss

Kentucky

Region

Buffalo Trace gave up only 26.8% of the 2016 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac to evaporation, the smallest angel's share of that year's five Antique Collection bottles. What survived went into the bottle unfiltered at 126.2 proof, six years and three months after a spring 2010 distillation.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

01

26.8% lost to the angels — the lowest figure in the 2016 set: The four bottles released beside it gave up between 65.4% and 75.99%.

02

A true rye recipe, not a low-rye one: Minnesota rye as the large grain, Kentucky corn as the small grain, and North Dakota malted barley to finish.

03

126.2 barrel proof, totally unfiltered: Entered wood at 125 proof, distilled off the still at 135 proof, and bottled straight from the wood without dilution or chill filtration.

04

Vibrant youth counterweight: Aged 6 years 3 months to preserve raw, vibrant rye grain spice before heavy oak cellaring masks its architecture.

05

61 Hand-Picked Barrels: Drawn from a precision allocation of 61 barrels aged across three historic Frankfort rickhouses.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage

Frankfort Cask-Strength Rye Legacy

Distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery (DSP-KY-113) in Frankfort, Kentucky, Thomas H. Handy honors the legendary 19th-century New Orleans saloon owner who first popularized rye whiskey in the classic Sazerac cocktail. Bottled at full barrel strength, this expression delivers the pure, uncompromised energy of Buffalo Trace's benchmark straight rye distillate.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

Minnesota Rye & Upper Rickhouse Aging

Ancestral Mash Platform

Minnesota Rye Grain Core

Distilled from large-grain Minnesota rye, Kentucky corn, and North Dakota malted barley for intense grain spice and pepper complexity.

Warehouses I, K & M

Floors 4, 5 & 7 Maturation

Aged on upper rickhouse decks over 6 years 3 months, experiencing active temperature swings while yielding a low 26.8% evaporation loss.

126.2 Barrel Proof

Uncut & Unfiltered

Bottled straight from the cask at 126.2 proof (63.1% ABV) without chill filtration or dilution loops, preserving all natural grain oils.

Independent Stave Oak

#4 Heavy Char Cooperage

Entered the barrel at 125 proof in new 53-gallon American white oak barrels subjected to a 55-second #4 char fire treatment.

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distillery Tasting Notes

I

Sensory Profile

Nose: Sweet toffee and sharp baking cinnamon integrated over bright, lively young rye grains.
Palate: Bold, peppery, and spice-forward; sweet molasses notes blend with warm cinnamon and deep clove heat.
Finish: Extended and intensely warming, lingering cleanly on trails of cinnamon and fine wood spice.

† Official tasting notes provided directly by Buffalo Trace Distillery.

II

Strategic Position

Three consecutive Handy releases now sit within seven-tenths of a proof point: the 2015 Handy that came out a month younger at 126.9, this one at 126.2, and the spring-2011 distillate in the 2017 Handy at 127.2. Compare it with the 17-year Eagle Rare from the same 2016 box in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

Antique Collection Benchmark

An essential high-proof cornerstone of the 2016 BTAC lineup, backed by full primary distillery production sheets.

→

Rye Whiskey Vault Context

Catalogued within the primary Whiskey Collection and The Vault at Midnight Whiskey.

Evaluated strictly on verified liquid specifications, physical inspects, and primary distillery disclosures.

Collector IndexTHH 2016 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace (DSP-KY-113)
Series Position: 2016 BTAC Allocation
Category: Kentucky Straight Rye
Proof / ABV: 126.2 Proof (63.1% ABV)
Age Statement: 6 Years 3 Months (Distilled 2010)
Format: 750 mL

Explore the complete Whiskey collection in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky (Sazerac Company)
COLLECTION	2016 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (Cask Strength)
AGE AT BOTTLING	6 Years 3 Months (Distilled Spring 2010, Bottled Fall 2016)
PROOF / ABV	126.2 Proof / 63.1% ABV (Uncut & Unfiltered)
GRAIN RECIPE	Minnesota Rye, Kentucky Corn, North Dakota Malted Barley
WAREHOUSE / FLOORS	Warehouses I, K & M (Floors 4, 5 & 7; 26.8% Loss)
BATCH SIZE	61 Hand-Picked Barrels
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004000035-16

† Specifications and details verified directly from physical bottle inspects and producer disclosures.

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Milled through a #10 screen, cooked at 240°F with reverse-osmosis limestone water, and fermented as a sour mash in a carbon steel and black iron fermenter. Double distilled through a beer still and doubler to 135 proof, entering the barrel at 125 proof. Cooperage was Independent Stave: new white oak, 53 liquid gallons, #4 char burned for 55 seconds. The barrels rested on floors four, five and seven of Warehouses I, K and M for 6 years 3 months and lost 26.8% of their contents to evaporation. 61 were hand-picked for the batch, and the whiskey was bottled with no filtration and no water at 126.2 proof.

Authentication & Vault Preservation

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What proof is the 2016 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac?

The 2016 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac was bottled at 126.2 proof, or 63.1% ABV, uncut and unfiltered. Buffalo Trace filled the barrels at 125 proof from a distillate that came off the still at 135, so the whiskey gained about a point of strength across 6 years 3 months in wood.

Is the 2016 Thomas H. Handy chill filtered?

No. Buffalo Trace's release letter for the 2016 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac records filtration as none. The two bourbons in that year's Antique Collection went out unfiltered as well, while the Eagle Rare 17 and the Sazerac 18 were both chill filtered before bottling.

How does the 2016 Thomas H. Handy compare to the 2015 release?

They are close siblings. The 2015 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac was distilled in spring 2009 and bottled at 126.9 proof after 6 years 2 months; the 2016 came from spring 2010 and went out at 126.2 proof after 6 years 3 months. Both matured in Warehouses I, K and M, the 2015 on floors four and seven and the 2016 on floors four, five and seven, and the 2016 lost less to evaporation — 26.8% against 30.23%.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · Thomas H. Handy Sazerac (2016 Release)

Shipping information

Adult Signature Required: Federal law requires an adult (21+) with a valid government ID to sign for all deliveries. Carriers cannot leave alcohol unattended.

Processing Time: Most orders process within 1–8 business days. You will receive a tracking number via email as soon as your bottle ships.

Insured Shipping: We strongly recommend electing Shipping Protection at checkout. Midnight Whiskey is not liable for loss or damage once in the carrier's possession unless insurance is purchased.

Restrictions: We ship only within the permitted U.S. states and cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes or U.S. Territories.

All Sales Final: Due to alcohol regulations, we cannot accept returns for change of mind.

Curated For You

The Macallan TIME : SPACE Mastery 200 Year Anniversary Edition Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky — 2024 Bicentenary Release The Macallan

$1,599.95

The Yamazaki Smoky Batch The Third Single Malt Japanese Whisky Suntory

$449.95

Sold Out

Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2022 Catena Zapata

$129.95

Opus One 2022 — Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend, Mondavi-Rothschild Joint Venture Opus One Winery

$429.95

Thomas H. Handy

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage