Review: Sagamore High Rye Bourbon 6 Years Old

For nearly a decade now, Baltimore’s Sagamore Spirit (now just Sagamore) has been singularly focused on making their Maryland-style rye, at first from contract-distilled spirit and more recently with their own stocks of Maryland-distilled whiskey. Reviving the lost tradition of Maryland rye has been their bread and butter. So, it was something of surprise to discover recently that the distillery was releasing a bourbon.

With somewhat minimal fanfare, the distillery announced its first ever bourbon whiskey this fall. This isn’t a permanent addition to the lineup but a limited release under their Reserve Series line, so fans of the distillery’s many rye expressions can rest assured the whiskey-making focus isn’t shifting. At least not yet. And even this new bourbon is showcasing plenty of their flagship spirit with a healthy 25% rye in the mashbill along with 60% corn and 15% malted barley. Like their rye whiskeys, it was triple distilled before aging in new charred American white oak. Thoughts follow.

Sagamore High Rye Bourbon 6 Years Old Review

The nose leads with a well-formed mix of spice, toffee, and oak. It’s straightforward with few surprises but a classic high rye style with soothing rye cracker, clove, and dark fruit notes atop undertones of orange peel and brown sugar.

At nearly 60% alcohol, the palate is big and well-spiced but still approachable with top notes of candy apple and freshly grated nutmeg that give way to a piquant midpalate of fresh oak, lemon zest, and freshly grated cinnamon stick. The sharpness and heft of the alcohol are pushed just to the limit before dialing back on the finish, eroding in a warming wave of black pepper, marmalade on rye toast, and cinnamon sugar. Sagamore has clearly figured out how to build an impressive and versatile rye whiskey, and if this inaugural effort is any indication, they have done the same with bourbon. Here’s hoping this first effort is not their last.

118 proof.

A- / $50

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