Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey

Another cheap-but-great whiskey is the Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey, colloquially known as “Baby Sazerac” to distinguish it from its older sibling, the 18 year old BTAC annual release.

It is commonly believed (via the whiskey diehards on the internet) that this is a 6 year old Rye with a mash bill of 51% Rye, 39% corn and 10% malted barley.  What we do know is that it is labeled as a “Straight Rye” without a specific age statement so it is at least 4 years old.  I don’t believe anyone has ever confirmed the mash bill, but people seem to believe that this is the one rye mash bill that Buffalo Trace makes (Sazerac is made by Buffalo Trace, who is in fact owned by Sazerac, confusing?  Sure).  Let’s see how this one fared…

ABV: 45%

How it smells…vanilla, oak, little musty and metallic, but sweet overall.  Some sharpness, but it fades quickly. 

How it tastes…Light and smooth up front with some initial honey sweetness.  Follows with the traditional vanilla and oak flavors and ending in some cinnamon and allspice.  The finish is drying and adds additional sweetness to the lingering spiciness. 

Price….$25

Rating...🥃🥃🥃🥃

Final thoughts…I wouldn’t say it is insanely complex, but for the $25 price tag I don’t think you can expect that.  This tastes like a solid 3x’s 🥃 but bumps up to 4x’s 🥃 due to the $25 price tag.  This is smooth and delightful enough to be a sipper, but also cheap enough to use in cocktails without remorse.  For under $30, to not have the enamel taken off of your teeth or a hot burn down your throat is worth something, but to have a solid smooth neat sipper is a bonus.  (See first Comment for additional commentary).

What I find most interesting about this Sazerac is IF the internet is correct about the mash bill, I wouldn’t expect something to taste this much like a rye to only be 51% rye. I compared this side by side with the Old Forester Rye ($30 bottle…I will review that at a later date) and was shocked at the differences, especially since Old Forester states that its Rye is a 65% Rye, 20%, Malted Barley, and 15% Corn mash bill. The Baby Sazerac tastes way more rye-like than the Old Forester, not to say that the Old Forester is a bad Rye, just really different. In short, keep a bottle of this on hand if you can find it generally within this price point (+/- $10). From what I have seen on other reviews, this is hard to find….luckily not for me. Yet.