Rye grain | Amaretto | Honey | Caramel | Brown sugar | Cherry

Peach | Apple | Honey | Toasted grain | Cedar

Dry seasoned oak | Baking spices | Rye grain | Apple | Light black pepper

Sagamore Spirit is a five-acre waterfront distillery located in the Baltimore Peninsula neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. The company was founded in 2013 by Kevin Plank, executive chairman of the sports brand Under Armour. In September 2023, Illva Saronno Holding S.p.A., an Italian company known for the Italian liquor, Disaronno, purchased a majority stake in Sagamore Spirit.

Before expanding into bourbon, Sagamore Spirit was largely known for their rye. Originally sourced from Ross & Squibb Distillery (MGP), where they also contract distilled rye with a mashbill outside the company’s standard offerings, they now distill in-house. Though they still use some Ross & Squibb Distillery rye in their products (e.g. Sagamore Rye Double Oak), Sagamore Rye Small Batch is 100% from their own stills. They source tier grains locally, and triple distill, which “enhances [rye’s] distinct smoothness.”

At 4-6 years old, the rye features a nice mouthfeel and a well-rounded body, and an aroma that is nicely layered. A rye grain scent upfront opens up to amaretto, honey, caramel, brown sugar, and cherry. The palate adds a gentle layer of fruit, in the form of peach and apple, against the sweetness of honey. Toasted grain and cedar then lead into the finish that offers dry seasoned oak and baking spices. There is only a slight ramp up of spice before ending on a touch of lingering apple.

It’s great that Sagamore is stepping away from Ross & Squibb whiskey and building upon the rich Maryland history of rye whiskey making. Sagamore Rye Small Batch is a very approachable rye thanks to a focus on fruit notes over spicy ones. A nice coating mouthfeel adds to the sip, allowing the flavors to blossom in a gentle, but meaningful way. Though the rye doesn’t taste young, there is some vibrancy here that works in its favor, though a touch more maturity would help add more depth to its straightforward sip. Sagamore Rye Small Batch doesn’t try to rock the boat, instead focusing on delivering a sip any whiskey drinker can enjoy.