When people talk about the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, the bourbons usually steal the spotlight. George T. Stagg and William Larue Weller get the headlines. But tucked inside BTAC are two rye whiskeys that many insiders consider the collection's best-kept secrets: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac and Sazerac 18 Year.
They share a name, a distillery and a grain. Beyond that, they're almost opposites. Here's how they compare.
Thomas H. Handy vs. Sazerac 18 at a glance
|
|
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac |
Sazerac 18 Year |
|---|---|---|
|
Style |
Straight rye, uncut and unfiltered |
Straight rye |
|
Age |
About 6 years |
18 years |
|
Proof |
Barrel proof, varies (2025: 129.8) |
90 |
|
Joined BTAC |
2006 |
2000 (original lineup) |
|
Character |
Bold, spicy, high-energy |
Soft, mellow, elegant |
|
Best for |
Spice lovers, the ultimate Sazerac cocktail |
Neat sipping, rye fans who prefer finesse |
The Sazerac connection
Both whiskeys trace back to New Orleans and the Sazerac, one of America's oldest classic cocktails.
Thomas H. Handy started as a clerk at the Sazerac House and became its owner in 1869. He secured U.S. distribution rights for Sazerac de Forge et Fils cognac, the original base of the Sazerac cocktail. When cognac supplies dried up, Handy championed American rye whiskey instead, helping turn the Sazerac into the rye cocktail we know today.
The company that grew out of that bar became the Sazerac Company, which owns Buffalo Trace Distillery. So when you pour a Thomas H. Handy or a Sazerac 18, you're drinking a piece of that story.
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac: young, loud and spicy
Age: About 6 years · Proof: Barrel proof, varies by year
Thomas H. Handy is the youngest whiskey in BTAC by a wide margin, and it's bottled uncut and unfiltered, straight from the barrel. The 2025 release was bottled at 129.8 proof after about six years of aging.
Nose: Cinnamon, clove, candied orange, mint and rye bread. Palate: Big and spicy, with black pepper, baking spice, dark cherry, caramel and dried citrus. Finish: Long, warm and peppery, with lingering cinnamon and oak.
Youth isn't a weakness here. Rye's natural spice is at its most vivid in younger whiskey, and barrel proof amplifies every note. Add a few drops of water and the spice relaxes into fruit, honey and herbs.
Choose Thomas H. Handy if: you love bold, spicy whiskey, enjoy adding water to explore a barrel-proof pour, or want to make the most luxurious Sazerac cocktail imaginable.
Sazerac 18 Year: the elegant elder
Age: 18 years · Proof: 90
Sazerac 18 is one of the three original BTAC whiskeys from 2000. It spends 18 years in oak, an extraordinary age for rye, and is bottled at a gentle 90 proof.
Nose: Vanilla, dried apricot, cinnamon, mint and old oak. Palate: Soft and layered, with honey, dried fruit, light pepper, citrus peel and polished wood. Finish: Long and gentle, with drying oak and a whisper of spice.
Long aging tames rye's spice and replaces it with depth and elegance. The result is a rye whiskey that drinks almost like an old bourbon or a fine Cognac, with spice as an accent rather than the main event.
Collectors also love Sazerac 18 for its history. For years, it drew on a stock of very old rye that had been moved out of barrels and into stainless steel tanks to stop it from aging further. Today it's made from Buffalo Trace's own rye whiskey, and each release is its own snapshot in time.
Choose Sazerac 18 if: you prefer mellow, refined whiskey, want to sip neat without adding water, or love older bourbons and want to see how rye ages.
Head-to-head
Age: a 12-year gap
Handy is about 6 years old; Sazerac 18 is 18. That gap shapes everything about how they taste.
Proof: fire vs. finesse
Handy is barrel proof, usually somewhere between the mid-120s and 130s. Sazerac 18 is a gentle 90 proof.
Spice: Handy wins
If you want rye's signature spice turned all the way up, it's Handy. Sazerac 18 keeps the spice in the background.
Complexity: different kinds
Handy is complex the way a bold red wine is: concentrated and energetic. Sazerac 18 is complex the way an old Cognac is: soft, layered and contemplative.
Which should you buy?
- Buy Thomas H. Handy if you love big flavor, spicy whiskey and barrel proof.
- Buy Sazerac 18 if you love older, softer whiskey and prefer to sip neat.
- Buy both to taste two extremes of the same grain from the same distillery. It's one of the most educational tastings in all of whiskey.
The easiest way to get both is the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025 Release, which includes Thomas H. Handy and Sazerac 18 alongside the four BTAC bourbons. For the full lineup, see our Complete BTAC Guide.
Other ryes worth exploring
If you want to explore the Sazerac family before tracking down BTAC, start with Sazerac Rye, the everyday version known to fans as "Baby Saz." It's the classic choice for a Sazerac cocktail. The Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare & Sazerac Rye Bundle is a great introduction to the distillery.
From the same distillery, Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye is a bottled-in-bond rye with a cult following (compare it with Taylor's bourbon in our E.H. Taylor Rye vs. Small Batch guide). And Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 Year Rye is one of the rarest ryes in America.
Explore more in our rye whiskey collection.
How to drink them
Thomas H. Handy: Pour about an ounce into a Glencairn glass. Take a small sip neat, then add water a few drops at a time. It also makes the ultimate Sazerac: rinse a chilled glass with absinthe, stir Handy with a sugar cube and Peychaud's bitters over ice, strain, and express a lemon peel over the top.
Sazerac 18: Neat, at room temperature, no water needed. Give it a few minutes in the glass to open up and sip slowly.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Thomas H. Handy and Sazerac 18? Thomas H. Handy is a roughly six-year-old rye bottled at barrel proof, uncut and unfiltered. Sazerac 18 is aged 18 years and bottled at 90 proof. Handy is bold and spicy; Sazerac 18 is soft and elegant.
Are Thomas H. Handy and Sazerac 18 part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection? Yes. They're the two rye whiskeys in BTAC.
Who was Thomas H. Handy? A New Orleans businessman who owned the Sazerac House from 1869 and helped make rye whiskey the base of the Sazerac cocktail.
Is Sazerac 18 the same as Sazerac Rye? No. Sazerac Rye is the widely available everyday rye. Sazerac 18 is aged 18 years and released once a year as part of BTAC.
What proof is Thomas H. Handy? It's bottled at barrel proof, which changes every year. The 2025 release was 129.8 proof.
Can you make a Sazerac with Thomas H. Handy? Yes, and it's spectacular. Its high proof and bold spice stand up beautifully to absinthe and bitters.
