Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (2018 Antique Collection)

Name: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey (2018 Antique Collection)
Brand: Buffalo Trace
SKU: 088004000035-18
Price: 599.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Price

$599.95

/

✔ 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 4 Months (2018 Release) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 128.8

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Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

128.8

Proof

64.4%

ABV

750 mL

Format

~6 Yrs

Age at Bottling

25.5%

Loss

Kentucky

Region

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 2018 is the uncut, unfiltered straight rye whiskey in Buffalo Trace Distillery's 2018 Antique Collection. Buffalo Trace distilled it in the spring of 2012, aged it in Warehouses I and L, and released it in the fall of 2018 at 128.8 proof (64.4% ABV) — the youngest bottle in that year's five-whiskey set by a wide margin.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

01

128.8 proof, uncut and unfiltered: Buffalo Trace bottles Thomas H. Handy straight from the barrel with no water added and no chill filtration.

02

Spring 2012 fill, Warehouses I and L: The distillery's 2018 announcement names the fill season and the two warehouses.

03

The youngest whiskey in the 2018 collection: Its four companions were filled in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 — Handy is the only release in the set drawn from Buffalo Trace's rye recipe at barrel strength.

04

SFWSC Double Gold Winner: Took Double Gold honors at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, cited directly in Buffalo Trace disclosures.

05

Ancestral Rye Recipe Platform: Distilled from large-grain Minnesota rye, Kentucky corn, and North Dakota malted barley.

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 & Warehouses I & L 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 & L

Upper Deck Maturation

Aged across Warehouses I and L over ~6 years 4 months, driving rich wood spice while yielding a low 25.5% evaporation loss.

128.8 Barrel Proof

Uncut & Unfiltered

Bottled straight from the cask at 128.8 proof (64.4% 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: Intensely bright bouquet of aromatic allspice, ground clove bark, and sharp teaberry leaf backed by crisp young rye grain.
Palate: Bold, muscular, and highly spice-driven; sharp baking spice, winter mint, and cracked black pepper carried by robust barrel heat.
Finish: Long, deeply warming, and robust with a lingering trail of classic rye spice and light wood char.

† Official tasting notes provided directly by Buffalo Trace Distillery.

II

Strategic Position

Every Thomas H. Handy release is the same recipe entering the barrel at the same strength, so what separates one year from the next is the warehouse draw and the time it sat. The 2018 came in above the 2017 Handy that ran 6 years 5 months and above the spring-2013 distillate in the 2019 Handy, and sits beside the 2018 Eagle Rare 17 that returned to 101 proof in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

San Francisco World Spirits Double Gold

Honored with Double Gold accolades at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, cementing its status in the 2018 release set.

→

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 2018 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace (DSP-KY-113)
Series Position: 2018 BTAC Allocation
Category: Kentucky Straight Rye
Proof / ABV: 128.8 Proof (64.4% ABV)
Age Statement: 6 Years Old (~6Y 4M, Distilled 2012)
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	2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (Cask Strength)
AGE AT BOTTLING	6 Years Old (~6Y 4M; Distilled Spring 2012, Bottled Fall 2018)
PROOF / ABV	128.8 Proof / 64.4% ABV (Uncut & Unfiltered)
GRAIN RECIPE	Minnesota Rye, Kentucky Corn, North Dakota Malted Barley
WAREHOUSE / FLOORS	Warehouses I & L (Floors 3 & 6; 25.5% Loss)
BATCH SIZE	73 Hand-Picked Barrels
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004000035-18

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

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Thomas H. Handy is made from the rye recipe Buffalo Trace publishes for the expression — Minnesota rye as the large grain, Kentucky corn as the small grain, North Dakota malted barley as the finish grain — distilled at the distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. For the 2018 release the distillery states the fill season, spring 2012, and the maturation warehouses, I and L. What Buffalo Trace does state plainly is the bottling decision — no water and no chill filtration, straight from the barrel at 128.8 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 2018 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac?

The 2018 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac is bottled at 128.8 proof, or 64.4% ABV. Buffalo Trace Distillery bottles this straight rye uncut and unfiltered, so the figure on the label is the strength the barrels reached on their own rather than a strength the distillery set. Each annual Thomas H. Handy release therefore carries its own proof.

Which warehouses aged the 2018 Thomas H. Handy?

Buffalo Trace Distillery aged the 2018 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac in Warehouses I and L. The distillery's 2018 Antique Collection announcement names those two warehouses and does not state which floors the barrels rested on, so no floor claim is made here.

When was the 2018 Thomas H. Handy distilled?

The 2018 Thomas H. Handy Sazerac was distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in the spring of 2012 and released in the fall of 2018 as part of that year's Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. It is by a wide margin the youngest whiskey in the 2018 collection, whose other four bottles were filled between 1998 and 2006.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · Thomas H. Handy Sazerac (2018 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