Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (2017 Antique Collection)

Name: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (2017 Antique Collection)
Brand: Buffalo Trace
SKU: 088004000035-17
Price: 799.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Price

$799.95

/

✔ 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 5 Months (2017 Release) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 127.2

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Adult signature (21+) at delivery

127.2

Proof

63.6%

ABV

750 mL

Format

6Y 5M

Age at Bottling

27.2%

Loss

Kentucky

Region

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 2017 is the uncut, unfiltered straight rye whiskey in Buffalo Trace Distillery's 2017 Antique Collection. Buffalo Trace distilled it in the spring of 2011, aged it on the third, fourth and fifth floors of Warehouses K, L and Q, and bottled it in the fall of 2017 at 127.2 proof (63.6% ABV) after 6 years and 5 months in the barrel.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

01

Filtration: none. Buffalo Trace's batch record for this release records no filtration at any stage — the whiskey goes into the bottle uncut and unfiltered at the strength the barrels reached.

02

6 years and 5 months at bottling: The youngest whiskey in the 2017 Antique Collection by a wide margin; the next-youngest bottle in that year's set, William Larue Weller, ran 12 years and 6 months.

03

127.2 proof, arrived at naturally: The distillate came off the still at 135 proof and entered the barrel at 125; six Kentucky summers on upper-middle floors pushed it to 63.6% ABV.

04

72 hand-picked barrels, 27.2% lost to evaporation: A small draw by Antique Collection standards — that same fall's George T. Stagg took 309 barrels.

05

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.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage

Frankfort Cask-Strength Rye Legacy

Distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery 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 K, L & Q

Floors 3, 4 & 5 Maturation

Aged on upper-middle rickhouse decks over 6 years 5 months, driving rich wood spice while yielding a 27.2% evaporation loss across 72 barrels.

127.2 Barrel Proof

Uncut & Unfiltered

Bottled straight from the cask at 127.2 proof (63.6% 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: Baking and rye spice over faint orange rind, light oak, and rich fig.
Palate: Hot and spice-forward; intense rye spice, allspice, cinnamon, and warm buttery toffee.
Finish: Long, extended, and deeply warming; orange, cherry, and rock sugar lingering behind oak wood tannins.

† Official tasting notes provided directly by Buffalo Trace Distillery.

II

Strategic Position

Handy is the only whiskey in the Antique Collection drawn from Buffalo Trace's rye recipe at barrel strength, which is what makes the year-to-year proof movement worth tracking. The 2017 sits in the middle of that range, above the 125.7-proof 2019 Handy, two years after the 2015 Handy, and beside the chill-filtered Eagle Rare 17 in the same 2017 box within Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

Antique Collection Benchmark

An essential high-proof cornerstone of the 2017 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 2017 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Series Position: 2017 BTAC Allocation
Category: Kentucky Straight Rye
Proof / ABV: 127.2 Proof (63.6% ABV)
Age Statement: 6 Years 5 Months (Distilled 2011)
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	2017 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (Cask Strength)
AGE AT BOTTLING	6 Years 5 Months (Distilled Spring 2011, Bottled Fall 2017)
PROOF / ABV	127.2 Proof / 63.6% ABV (Uncut & Unfiltered)
GRAIN RECIPE	Minnesota Rye, Kentucky Corn, North Dakota Malted Barley
WAREHOUSE / FLOORS	Warehouses K, L & Q (Floors 3, 4 & 5; 27.2% Loss)
BATCH SIZE	72 Hand-Picked Barrels
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004000035-17

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

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Buffalo Trace's 2017 batch record for this release is unusually complete. The grain bill runs Minnesota rye as the large grain, Kentucky corn as the small grain and North Dakota malted barley as the finish grain, milled through a #10 screen, cooked at 240°F, and fermented on a sour mash in carbon steel and black iron fermenters with Kentucky limestone water treated by reverse osmosis. Distillation is double — a beer still and a doubler — coming off at 135 proof and entering new 53-gallon white oak barrels from Independent Stave at 125 proof, under a #4 char burned for 55 seconds. Those barrels rested on the third, fourth and fifth floors of Warehouses K, L and Q for 6 years and 5 months, losing 27.2% of the original whiskey to evaporation before 72 of them were hand-picked for the batch and bottled without filtration at 127.2 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

How old is the 2017 Thomas H. Handy?

The 2017 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac was 6 years and 5 months old at bottling, according to Buffalo Trace Distillery's batch record for the release. It was distilled in the spring of 2011 and bottled in the fall of 2017 at 127.2 proof. That makes it the youngest whiskey in the 2017 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection by a wide margin: the next-youngest, that year's William Larue Weller, was 12 years and 6 months old.

What floors was the 2017 Thomas H. Handy aged on?

Buffalo Trace Distillery aged the 2017 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac on the third, fourth and fifth floors of Warehouses K, L and Q. The distillery's batch record for the release also lists a barrel entry proof of 125 and an evaporation loss of 27.2% across the 6 years and 5 months the whiskey spent in wood before bottling at 127.2 proof.

Is the 2017 Thomas H. Handy chill filtered?

No. Buffalo Trace Distillery's batch record for the 2017 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac lists its filtration as none, and the distillery describes the expression as an uncut and unfiltered straight rye bottled straight from the barrel. The 2017 release went into the bottle at 127.2 proof, or 63.6% ABV.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · Thomas H. Handy Sazerac (2017 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.

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Thomas H. Handy

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage