Review: Sagamore Rye Bottled in Bond 7 Years Old
In case you hadn’t noticed, Baltimore’s Sagamore Spirit has dropped the “Spirit” from their newest labels, one of which recently sported the first double-digit age statement for the brand. That 10-year-old offering was made using the distillery’s Maryland-style recipe but drawn entirely from whiskey distilled in Indiana. While a rye that old is impressive, Sagamore’s house-distilled, “Made-in-Maryland” stock isn’t exactly young anymore. Over the summer, we had the chance to sample the latest bottled in bond release which clocks in at a full seven years old. That’s well-aged rye by most standards.
Like every other Sagamore rye, this latest bonded release is a blend of two different mashbills. The bulk is a 95% rye and 5% malted barley recipe popularized by MGP, Sagamore’s contract producer. The other is a barely rye recipe of 51% rye, 45% corn, and 4% malted barley; a component that, although small by comparison, provides the sweetness characteristic of Maryland-style rye. Thoughts follow.
Sagamore Rye Bottled in Bond 7 Years Old Review
The aroma is almost as energetic and fruity as we encountered on our last sip when this whiskey was just five years old. Bright, sugary notes of jelly orange slices and Haribo peaches burst from the glass at first, almost outshining warm undertones of vanilla, nutmeg, and clove. Those barrel notes eventually temper their candied counterparts as things open more, transitioning to orange oil, golden butterscotch, and a silky minted syrup note. There are glimmers of its younger self, but those additional years in the barrel are readily apparent.
On the palate, this is a fuller and more layered rye than previous renditions, although still quite light, especially on the finish, and showing noticeable barrel influence. Wood spice kicks things off with cinnamon and caramelized brown sugar. An unusually soft vanilla note, almost angel food cake, leads to a warming and spicy transition on the midpalate with ginger tea and dark cherry. A short-lived zing of barrel tannins interrupts things a bit on the finish, muddling an otherwise welcome and soothing fade out of chocolate-covered mints and warm baking spice. Sagamore’s bonded rye release continues to evolve, but it remains an approachable and well-built whiskey, albeit one that may have reached its optimal age. We’ll be curious to see what older expressions might have in store.
100 proof.
A- / $60 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
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