Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye

Even if I drink multiple whiskies on the same day, I usually only review them one at a time. I don’t post two reviews on the same day primarily because with the length of my reviews, I sometimes feel it might be asking a bit much for people to read two at a time. Then again, with the way people dip in and out, you may post two on back-to-back nights and they’re seeing them at the same time, but I also like to review the first whisky I’m drinking of the night unsullied by the experience of other whiskies. Sometimes doing side-by-side comparisons can really elucidate certain flavors. It can make one whisky stand out against another that you otherwise find fine on its own. In any case, I had some Sagamore Double Oak last night after I review the Four Roses and was almost compelled to write it up then because of how much I love it, but I figured I’d wait until today, as I’m getting ready to go to dinner with some friends, having a pre-meet up drink, to share my points on Sagamore Double Oak, which I picked up at the Delaware Total Wine after a trip to Winterthur Gardens with my family this past Mother’s Day (I also nabbed the Cognac-finished Sagamore, which I’ve reviewed here, and the Rum-finished Sagamore, which I haven’t yet opened). If you ask my what my favorite Sagamore is, I might just tell you all of them, all the ones I’ve had are my favorite. I haven’t had a bad whisky from this distillery yet. The most unique to me was the Tequila-barrel finish, and the best representation of rye was the Cask Strength, but this runs in the same wheelhouse as the cask strength. This is very oaky indeed with pencil shavings both on the nose and the palate, mingled with vanilla and rye spice. The palate is rich with a wonderful mouthfeel and the vanilla on the tongue becomes a rich French vanilla with the pencil shavings coming back in on the finish. This is definitely for those who like woody savory spicy whiskies. There’s very little presence of anything sweet aside from that touch of French vanilla. If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, you’re not going to be into this. And speaking of whiskies complimenting each other, last nights tasting of Four Roses in conjunction with this was a perfect pair. So I have to go 4.25 for this too. Both are amazing, amazing woody whiskies, but whereas the Roses is full of caramel and cherry fruits, this is straight up spice, wood, and a little hint of Vanilla. All in all a lovely match. So I’ll pour myself a Roses next to do it up again tonight. This one is, of course, a little more expensive that the Four Roses, but well worth the $65 asking price.

I've had this bottle for a while, it's on its last few ounces. I'll start right out, it's very good. On the nose there's a good measure of wood (as expected), sweet vanilla, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, cherry, dill and slight menthol. The flavor is rich, complex and spicy with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, burnt sugar and more. There's heat, but its balanced. There's sweetness, but its foundational and not out of place. Compared to Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye this is a bit richer, slightly less spicy, and delivers more of the barrel notes. It has a bit more of the cedar or evergreen element that I get from Lot 40 and Whistle Pig than the WTRBR offers up, but in neither expression is this a major note. Overall I love this rye. It's a solid choice for the price for sipping neat and it makes for a very complex and suave Manhattan. Recommended.

Tasted this a few times but my first review. The color is deep brown/red. Thick consistency and sticks to the glencairn glass’ sides. Its been resting for about 10 minutes. Nose is a sweet woody maple, with a spicy red ale and mint underneath. My first thought is that the second oak barrel aging sort of overpowers the rye spice, and it becomes more of a sweet bourbon like the double barrel woodford reserve. The first sip is where the spicy red maple, and dry vanilla cherry comes in. I need to compare this with the standard rye, because theres a lot of subtle taste that the oak plays off of very well. Finishes smooth with nice sweet warmth. I think this would make an epic Manhattan. Very good and after more sips I’m getting a light creamy butterscotch. Excellent.

The description of the bottle is spot on. Hazelnut. Toffee. Burnt coconut. The coconut appears more on the finish with some graham cracker. Almost has a smores quality. The burnt note is really apparent but delicious. The spice is there, not overpowering to my palate. Begins with heavy dark malts and spice before going into that toffee note. The nose has dark caramel, some chocolate. For a 60 dollar bottle, it's offering a lot. There isn't much comparison at this price point with the really interesting flavors it has. It seems thin at first, but the flavors linger for a good while. This is an easy recommendation if you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary while not too out of left field.

I am not a finished whiskey guy but Sagamore does it right. I can still taste the rye spice on the palate and through the nose but these guys use the double oak process to enhance the pour versus overpowering what you drink. That i can get behind. I get a coffee note off of this which is not a common note i pull from what i own, but again i am not a big finished whiskey enjoyer. I really appreciate what Sagamore is accomplishing here … very nice job and i wish all finished offerings were this good … enhancements on a bourbon or rye which you can still taste but that finished profile is not the dominant profile.

Nose: Maple syrup and oak bomb, Rye pine, Burnt sugar. Palate: Drying oak, tannis, sweetness, caramel. Decent mouthfeel Finish: This is where the rye kicks in. Rye spices. Dill. Surprisingly medium to long finish. Torn between a 3.75-4 on this one. Solely drink, 3.75. But factoring in price and availability its value is a 4. Final thought: This reminds me so much of a Woodford Double Oaked but with a Rye finish. Beautiful combo of the double oak with a rye. Will keep a bottle of this on my shelf. And because of price and availability, ill prob reach for it often.