Sagamore Spirit 'Sagamore Reserve' Double Oak Rye (2017 Limited Edition Release)

I'm on a rye tear for the last couple of months and its not slowing down. I've saved three of the best I've had recently for my run-up to 200 tasting entries. The shear breadth of flavor palette possible with rye distillate is pretty astonishing. I love the sweet, fruity versions (Jack Daniel Single Barrel), the impeccably balanced "amplified bourbon" ryes (Pikesville), the complex boreal woodsy ryes (Whistle Pig, Lot 40), and the sophisticated bon vivant ryes (Dad's Hat, High West). Neat in a shot glass with a black coffee back or as the foundation of a dry Manhattan, rye is a treat in so many ways. I've only had one taste of Sagamore Spirit before, courtesy of a friend at Bourbon Sippers blog and that was of a barrel pick from a liquor store in central FL. It was the single most unique rye I've tasted, being almost shockingly technicolor and flavorful I couldn't resist adding this, a core expression for Sagamore Spirit, to my shopping cart on my last outing. Double Oak is finished in "toasted wave stave barrels" for an additional 18 months. According to the company, this "imparts... delightful caramel, toffee, hazelnut, and toasted coconut" notes to the release. I tasted this neat from a glencairn after a good rest. This bottle has been open for about two weeks. I have to say this is one bottle that freaked me out. The taste profile of my first couple pours was overwhelmingly cedar and fruitcake, taking it beyond even Lot 40's profile. After a while the profile seemed to mellow quite a bit and a deeper, sweeter and more complex profile emerged. I'm not sure if it was my palate or the bottle really changed, but I'd recommend giving this one a bit of time before making up your mind. The nose is Snicker's Bar, shredded coconut, milk chocolate, cherry syrup, fruitcake, and slight conifer forest floor. There's very little ethanol, this is very approachable and quite complex. The aromas I'm getting are well above average - very good. On the taste buds this is a bit dryer than the nose would lead you to believe. It has a lovely bit of spiciness, a nice warmth. Ginger and white pepper layered on cedar and walnuts. The cherry and some dark rye bread notes come along at mid palate. The finish is moderately long and nicely fades to a sweet echo. This is very accomplished. I have a rather simple scoring system that follows a bell curve. Average product scores in the 2.5 range. Excellence lies above 4. This is excellent in flavor and is a very good value. Recommended.

This bottle cost me $63.99 at the Uptown Total Wine store. There's no age statement, and while the label indicates it's a blend of two whiskies, one from Indiana and one from Maryland, I did find one site which said that the mash bill is 95% rye and 5% barley. It's 96.6 proof, and in the glass it's a dark copper color. 𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗘: On the nose I get smoke, the mineral and vegetal notes that are for me characteristic of rye whisky, a little sweetness, and some woodiness. 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟: The mouthfeel is buttery, though that took a second to become apparent. 𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘: Right off the bat I got a distinct smoky note. Next there was something that made me think of charcoal, though I've never actually tasted charcoal. I got a sweetness, the standard mineral taste like granite dust, a hint of butter, and a hint of brown sugar. 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛: The finish is short, alas, with an astounding note of oak, followed by red pepper, and then a faint mineral note. 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: This is very good whisky. It's right on the edge of too much oak, but it doesn't go over that edge. And it's definitely rye. If you like oak, and if you like rye, you'll probably like this. 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: On my hick scale, where 1 is the lowest and 8 is the highest, I give this a 7 - Right Fine. That translates to 4.375 stars, 87.5/100, or 8.75/10.

My first introduction to Sagamore was a store pick that surprised me with the level I enjoyed it. Based on that I decided to pull the trigger on this limited edition annual release. Usually I think Woodford when I hear the phrase double oaked and those bottles never disappoint. I am hoping the tag is just as tasty for Sagamore. Nose is much more bourbon like than any rye I have had. Maybe the fancy toasted waves in the barrels soften the rye notes, but I am getting hints of toasty brown sugar and ginger snaps. First sip is a bit of a ride. There is a bit of the banana bread notes reminiscent of the Jack Daniel's Single Barrels, but this dram brings some hefty brown sugar and cinnamon glaze. The burn that comes on mid sip brings a decent amount of heat that fades nicely on the edges with a light caramel finish. Overall this is a really nice bottle. I am really impressed with what Sagamore is bringing to the table for an upstart. The bottles themselves look great and unlike many of the newbies putting crappy young whiskey in pretty packaging, Sagamore seems to have put together a solid recipe. I will definitely be trying more of their offerings. This is a bottle I will miss when it is gone and definitely be looking for a backup.

Aroma - Holy brown sugar and cherry juice. Even a slight hint of prune juice. Damn.. as this thing opens, it’s getting even more intriguing. Huge dark fruits, molasses. I’m getting almost no oak but tons of vanilla. Yeah..this is nose is quite the experience. I have no idea what to expect on the palate. Taste - Tobacco, black tea, vanilla, oak, cherries up front.. mid palate is slight hint of bubblegum and cinnamon… the finish is where this one shines.. it’s extremely long finish. And the transitions that your palate experiences is crazy. The finish for me starts off with a vanilla and oak profile. The oak almost creates this dry aspect for a fleeting moment but then its a transitions to luxarado cherry and dashes of rye spices and smoke. Overall - This is the perfect bottle for those bottle shares, family events or even that Friday night pour. It is incredible unique, the bottle design is elegant, it’s not overly spicy and has a long finish.

NOSE: OAK, sticky dried dark fruit, baking spice, cocoa, herbal, Twizzlers, char and slightly nutty notes. Holy cow this is dense… DENSE I SAY and crazy darkly fruity under the heavy oak. It’s lovely just to sit and sniff. PALATE: OAK, sticky dried dark fruit, baking spice, cocoa, herbal, Twizzlers, char and slightly nutty notes sit as a carbon copy of the aroma but with deeper oak and dark fruit notes. Seriously, oak just pummels through this Sagamore Spirit Double Oak, but the supporting notes are strong enough to band together, balance it out and stabilize the whiskey. FINISH: Long -> Oak, dark fruit and spice fade out warmly and dryly.

Vanilla, pine and hearty oak on the nose (for obvious reasons). Underlying floral aromas and cinnamon. Rich oily mouthfeel, some spice and oak on the palate but quite understated & smooth at this point. Some burn early on the finish plus rye spiciness on the finish which sticks around for a bit but doesn't overstay it's welcome. Nicely balanced with the rye kick on the back end. Picked this up in Louisville and have had it open for a bit before realizing how special this bottle is through research for this taste.