Thomas H Handy Rye vs EHT Barrel Proof Rye. Is BTAC better? Which Rye is worth the hunt?

[@bourbonbill]

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[@993C2S]

I think Sagamore has been holding out on us. Sagamore 9 year was supposed to be a limited release distillery bottle only. But I've been seeing it for sale more and more in all sorts of online stores across the county now. Perhaps they discovered 500 extra barrels after they announced the distillery only release!

[@bourbonbill]

Haha well they are also doing all 9yr store picks starting some time in 2025 but no the 9yr was an LE but was always meant as a nationwide LE or at least where they are distributed at. The port is distillery and some MD stores only

[@DBTdad]

That was the best Z-Biotics ad ever! Damn that Grandma!

[@bourbonbill]

Haha you never know what you might get at granny’s

[@paulgrace1279]

Sag 9 is just absolutely stellar not even considering price. I'm a massive fan of the Michter's premium rye products (Barrel Strength, 10 year, Toasted Barrel Strength) and Sag 9 is right there. LOVE IT.

[@bourbonbill]

It absolutely is sir well said it’s a damn top tier btac level rye for 79 clams and has decent enough availability for an LE

[@MetaPrometheus]

Definitely agree on the Handy being the oddball in the BTAC lineup. 6 years roughly when everything else in the BTAC lineup is double digit age statements? For $160 MSRP now? Handy, however good it may or may not be, just doesn't stack up in todays market with competitors knocking on BT's door.

[@bourbonbill]

Exactly it’s good but it’s not that good unfortunately and a lot and I mean a lot of ryes smoke it in 2024 without it being a tough contest

[@keithpetersen560]

This is why I don't chase and pay secondary prices for any whiskey. To much good stuff on the shelves already. Great review.

[@bourbonbill]

Yeah I get people have fomo and want what people say is the best but I can say the Handy wasn’t amazing or life changing and isn’t even the best rye I’ve had this week

[@billybruticus4719]

I'm all for factoring in price in the score. I don't think KZbinrs do that enough. Especially these days when a good percentage of the bottles on the shelf are 70$ or above. That sagamore 9yr is top tier for the price to value range

[@bourbonbill]

Yeah I try to blend in value into my scores the only time I don’t is bourbon of the year and rye of the year that’s purely taste based but my scores on normal reviews are based on value and taste. Also agree that Sagamore 9 is killer

[@kpmarine10]

Dude you crushed this. It seems like the BTAC is the grandfather of barrel proofs, but everyone else has got into the game lately. Supply and demand baby. People can complain about bourbon prices going up *guilty as sin* but I’m glad I can get my hands on a huge variety of barrel proofs these days.

[@bourbonbill]

Yeah I knew I was going to catch heat but the truth is handy is fine but not special it might have been back in the day but today in 2024 it’s far from special especially for the price. I’ve never seen a handy or any BTAC to buy but people that have one have a financial stake and they hate to hear it’s like mediocre today in 2024 lol

[@kpmarine10]

@ I know people with a shelf full of unopened BTACs. They gotta squash their investments from decreasing in hype!

[@bourbonbill]

Haha yep all about financial protection for some

[@DaveVogelsang-b8v]

Nice comparison BB. I was waiting to hear Sagamore beats them both…🥃🫢

[@bourbonbill]

Haha it’s sad but it does again they still don’t pay me to say that

[@dans713]

Love you getting fired up on the 6 Handy....Gotta find a Sag 9 year....!!

[@bourbonbill]

I think when rye was less popular the handy probably was the best but it’s just been surpassed in 2024 it’s fine and good but it’s not great and it doesn’t deserve any special attention

[@richiebourgeois1415]

Knew we would be aligned on Handy haha. Handy feels like a relic from a time before high-quality premium ryes were plentiful. Would be cool if BT retired it for a couple of years and brought it back with a double-digit age statement to make it more comparable to the rest of BTAC

[@bourbonbill]

Absolutely agree they need to age it up now to the rest of the BTAC standards 6yr ryes as they say ain’t shit nowadays

[@nulife2410]

I have both the sagamore and handy 2023. I love both, but I like the flavor of the handy more. That’s just my palate though, I’m sure others might disagree.

[@bourbonbill]

I can see how if you prefer that profile you could like the handy more but you gotta admit they are both heavy hitters and for price and availability on the sagamore it just starts to feel a bit less than luxurious of a handy

[@nulife2410]

@@bourbonbill I agree that if it came down to cost, I’d pick the sagamore, but considering everything I’d still favor the Handy. I’d actually probably prefer the JDBBP rye to the sagamore. But, yeah, the EH Taylor would be last.

[@smknochs1]

Waited 15 min for Bill to make the obvious joke but it was well worth the wait.

[@bourbonbill]

Haha I couldn’t resist

[@stephenhumma4772]

Haven't seen a Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel proof Rye on the Shelf in PA in quite some time?

[@bourbonbill]

Yeah Pa seems dry I know NJ and other places have it

[@billscott6819]

The 23 Handy was insanely good imo. Sagamore? Come off it! To each his own though. Cheers.

[@bourbonbill]

Haha we will have to agree to disagree. Do you have the new sagamore 9yr?

[@billscott6819]

@@bourbonbill Only tried the Sag 8yr, a few of their rye picks, and the double oaked. There is something about them flavor wise that I wasn't into like a dark molasses thing with the double oak. I am a rye fan, and I like the KO ryes, Handy, some mgp ryes. It must just be a point where our palates disagree, which is to be expected. I usually am right there in agreement with your takes, it's never gonna be 100%. I thought the 2023 THH was the best bottle of the year even over the M10A bottles. Cheers and great reviews!

[@bourbonbill]

@@billscott6819yeah if you don’t like those sagamore bottles their distillate just isn’t for you then. That being said I like the KO and MGP ryes as well. In your case pickup one of the 12yr barrel proof rye mgp offerings that the NDPs are putting out like river roots, short barrel and southern collective those will smoke the handy as well

[@whisk-e-y_problems9075]

I hadn't thought about it, but I think you're right. THH shouldn't be part of the BTAC. It should instead be more like Stagg JR. ~$70 and released 2-4 times a year.

[@bourbonbill]

Exactly kick it out of the club it’s just 6yr barrel proof rye nothing special in todays market

[@100puremustard5]

Redwood Empire is local for me. Their Haystack Needle this year is an 8yr 122pf Rye, but they want $130! Can't do it. They still have 50+ bottles 😂

[@bourbonbill]

Haha yeah that’s a tough price for an 8yr if you could sample it and find out there are some distilleries that pull off lower ages super well like peerless is an example but it’s risky without being able to try

[@pb4339]

Jack green label sbbp bigfoots everything else in this catagory - *so long as you like bananas *. And who the heck doesn’t like bananas foster whiskey ? That’s crazy talk !

[@bourbonbill]

Haha that’s an accurate statement that JDBP Rye plays in that category and you would be not to love it lol

[@inkynate9372]

Lol, can almost hear the howls of anguish from the THH fanboys on this one, but couldn't agree more. Ppl are out there tripping over themselves to pay $500+ for a 6yr rye and will declare it's "the best rye on the planet." Sorry, I don't care if they pick the choicest honey barrels from their holiest honey hole, it's not. Like you said, it's very good, but even msrp is a stretch. Thank you.

[@bourbonbill]

Exactly with the way people talk it up I expected more but at the end of the day it’s simply a 6yr old rye that in todays rye scape haha is severely outgunned by hard hitters carrying double digit age statements for less coin

[@jcockfie]

Why is Sagamore not paying you again?

[@bourbonbill]

Haha I guess they are too focused on making good ryes

[@100puremustard5]

I mean c'mon Bourbon Bill?! Wouldn't you pay more for a Handy😂

[@bourbonbill]

I’m married so it’s either free or super expensive depending on how you factor in sunk costs lol

[@scootergants]

A "Handy" is always better

[@bourbonbill]

Haha truer words have never been spoken

[@AmishFury]

I'm just tired of Buffalo Trace in general. Taters are chasing these so much and leaving the good stuff behind. Sag 9 for sure is one of my favs of the year. Got for $70 in MD. Best bang for the buck handys down. So many good Rye's this year though. 2024 Raise of the Ryes.

[@bourbonbill]

Haha absolutely agree Buffalo Trace items are falling behind especially on the ryes end this year. And yes Sagamore 9 is top shelf and one of the best ryes of the year

[@Subourbon]

nothing wrong with a handy.

[@bourbonbill]

Some of them can be rough though

[@PhilAwrye]

BTAC smoked.

[@bourbonbill]

I wish I was on the media sample train for all the BTAC lineup but this handy left me wanting more