Handy & Schiller Old Fashioned 750ML

Handy & Schiller Old Fashioned 750ML is a barrel-aged, pre-batched Old Fashioned cocktail bottled at 42% ABV (84 proof) in a 750ml format. It earned 96 points and Best Barrel Aged RTD honors from the Beverage Tasting Institute in 2018, along with a Double Gold medal from The Fifty Best competition — credentials that place it at the top of the ready-to-drink cocktail category.

Quick Facts: ABV: 42% (84 Proof)  |  Origin: Kentucky, USA  |  Style: Barrel-Aged Ready-to-Drink Old Fashioned  |  Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery

Production & Heritage

Handy & Schiller draws its name from the historical partnership between Chris Handy and George Schiller, revived under the Buffalo Trace Distillery umbrella in Frankfort, Kentucky. The cocktail is blended from Buffalo Trace Bourbon, classic Old Fashioned bitters, orange oil, and sugar, then aged as a complete mixture in freshly emptied Buffalo Trace barrels. This barrel-aging of the finished cocktail — rather than simply bottling whiskey with flavoring — allows the components to marry and pick up residual vanilla and oak character from the wood, producing a depth of flavor that distinguishes it from conventional RTD offerings.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Orange zest rises first, followed by toasted sugar and light baking spice. A gentle wave of charred oak and vanilla anchors the nose as bourbon character emerges.

Taste: The entry is smooth and slightly sweet, moving into a rich mid-palate of caramel, clove, and citrus peel. Warm bourbon backbone carries through with balanced sweetness, never cloying, with the barrel aging lending a rounded, integrated quality to each sip.

Finish: Medium in length, the finish brings lingering vanilla and charred oak with a final note of creamy citrus fruit. The sweetness stays in check, closing cleanly with gentle spice and a whisper of bitter orange.

How to Drink Handy & Schiller

Serve chilled or over a single large ice cube to let the barrel-aged complexity open gradually; no additional mixing is required since this is a fully composed cocktail. For those who enjoy riffing on the formula, try these variations:

• Smoked Old Fashioned: Pour over a smoked ice sphere — the barrel-aged base amplifies the smoky aromatics without fighting them.
• Wisconsin-Style Old Fashioned: Top with a splash of lemon-lime soda and garnish with a cherry — the citrus oil already present in the blend keeps the drink balanced.
• Old Fashioned Highball: Lengthen with cold sparkling water in a tall glass — the 84-proof strength holds up well to dilution while keeping the cocktail's flavor profile intact.

Best For

• Hosting cocktail nights without the need for a fully stocked bar
• Gifting a bourbon enthusiast who appreciates convenience without compromise
• Tailgating, camping, or outdoor gatherings where glassware and bitters are impractical
• Introducing someone to the Old Fashioned cocktail in its properly balanced form

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Handy & Schiller taste like? It delivers rich bourbon warmth with caramel, clove, and citrus peel on the palate, finishing with lingering vanilla and charred oak. The overall impression is a well-balanced Old Fashioned with noticeable barrel influence and a creamy citrus close.

How does Handy & Schiller compare to making an Old Fashioned with Knob Creek Rye? A homemade Old Fashioned built with Knob Creek Rye will lean spicier and drier, with the rye grain providing peppery bite, while Handy & Schiller uses Buffalo Trace Bourbon as its base, yielding a sweeter, rounder, more caramel-forward profile. The key difference is that Handy & Schiller's barrel aging integrates all cocktail components together, creating a cohesion that is difficult to replicate by simply stirring fresh ingredients over ice.

Is Handy & Schiller good for sipping neat? Yes — at 42% ABV it drinks like a full-strength cocktail and is designed to be enjoyed straight from the bottle, chilled or over ice, without any additional preparation.

Where is Handy & Schiller made? It is produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the United States. The cocktail is blended and barrel-aged on site using freshly emptied Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels.

What foods pair well with Handy & Schiller? Smoked brisket or pulled pork highlights the bourbon's charred oak notes. Dark chocolate truffles complement the caramel and vanilla sweetness. Aged cheddar provides a savory counterpoint to the citrus and spice. Pecan pie mirrors the toasted sugar and warm baking spice, and charcuterie with dried fruits bridges the cocktail's sweetness and oak character.

What sizes does Handy & Schiller come in? The standard offering is the 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Handy & Schiller worth the price? It positions as a premium RTD cocktail, priced above mass-market canned cocktails but competitive when measured against the cost of sourcing quality bourbon, bitters, and fresh citrus oil to build the drink from scratch. The 96-point BTI score and Double Gold medal reinforce its standing as a top-tier option in the barrel-aged RTD segment.

Why Handy & Schiller?

What separates this bottling from the crowded RTD market is a production method borrowed from craft bartending: aging the entire blended cocktail — bourbon, bitters, orange oil, and sugar — inside freshly emptied Buffalo Trace barrels. That step allows flavors to marry in wood rather than in a mixing glass, producing an integration that earned 96 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute and Double Gold at The Fifty Best competition. At 84 proof, it carries the full weight of a properly stirred Old Fashioned rather than the diluted character found in many lower-proof ready-to-drink options. For anyone who values a genuine cocktail experience without the prep, this barrel-aged blend delivers on the promise its awards suggest.