There’s an excellent article from MarylandSpirits.org if you want a deep dive into the long history of “Maryland Style Whiskey,” as it was called back in the day. If you don’t have that kind of time, I’ll sum it up for you as best as I can. A “Maryland Style Whiskey” consisted of a recipe containing mostly rye, a lot of corn, and usually some malted barley, but not always. Mash bills were looser in those days, so additional grains could have been wheat, oats, or buckwheat, depending on what surplus grains were available or a distiller’s flavor preference. The consensus says, “The recipes vary, and they always have, but it’s the spicy rye cushioned with the sweet corn and just a little hint of one or two other grains that gives Maryland Rye Whiskey its dynamic taste. It is delicate and bold, spicy and fruity, all separately and at the same time.” So, there you have it. There are many reasons for the demise of Maryland Rye Whiskey, such as the rise of bourbon, which, unlike rye whiskey was still being produced on a limited basis for “medicinal purposes” during Prohibition. But mainly, they say Maryland distilleries were on valuable urban properties that owners couldn’t resist selling during the thirteen years of prohibition. After the repeal, the local Maryland Rye industry was never the same. In recent times, many new local Maryland distilleries like Sagamore Spirit have cropped up to create rye whiskey in the Maryland-style tradition.
The Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye release is aged for 4 to 5 years in new high-char American oak barrels. After that, it’s transferred into medium toasted wave stave barrels with a low-level #1 char for an additional 18 months, then proofed down using limestone-filtered water sourced from their 1909 springhouse. I spoke to Sagamore Spirit to get more information on the batch I’m reviewing (6AA) and about Sagamore’s current Double Oak Rye release. Batch 6AA was entirely sourced from MGP using 80% of a 95% rye/5% malted barley and 20% of a 52% rye/43% corn/5% malted barley mash bill. If you’re wondering why the second mash bill doesn’t exactly match MGP’s lower rye mash bill, it’s because it was contract distilled at MGP to Sagamore’s specifications. Batch 8AI is the latest Sagamore Double Oak Rye release, which contains the same mash bills and percentage, but the lower rye mash bill is produced using Sagamore Spirits’ own distillate. Let’s dive in!
Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.
Distillery: Distilled in Indiana, additionally aged and bottled by Sagamore Spirit, Baltimore, Maryland.
Proof: 96.6.
Age: 4-5 years, additionally aged for 18 months.
Batch: 6AA. Bottle 4825.
Mash bill: 95% Rye/5% Malted Barley and 52% Rye/43% Corn/5% Malted Barley.
Price: $64 on Sagamore’s website. I’ve seen it as low as $49.
Appearance: Dark caramel.
Nose
Maple and brown sugar, root beer, chocolate tootsie roll, graham crackers, vanilla beans, a big dose of cloves, dill, and mint. More nosing and time bring out stone fruit flavors of apricots, pecans, and toasted oak. I love the sweet and herbaceous flavors of this profile. The balance is perfect with no proof heat.
Palate
With a medium mouthfeel, the nose moves on to the palate with caramelized brown sugar, root beer, graham cracker, chocolate, and lots of cloves with dill and vanilla bean. Apricots come in mid-sip as moderate allspice slowly rolls onto the palate with toasted oak. The delicate balance in this batch to keep the sweet and herbaceous notes in check is as impressive as its delicious profile. It’s a dangerously easy sipper that isn’t lacking in flavor despite being shy of 100 proof.
Finish
Allspice continues to linger with cloves, graham crackers, root beer, pecans, and toasted oak, while a modest amount of pipe tobacco develops for a delicate, long, and well-balanced finish.
Conclusion
The double oak flavors are the star of this pour, but I love how its balance allows the herbaceous rye flavors to shine through. What’s also impressive is how it maintains a very flavorful profile while still being at an easy drinking 96.6 proof. This is the only Sagamore Double Oak Rye batch I’ve tried so far, so I can’t say what the differences are between this one and the newer batches that contain Sagamore’s distillate. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were very similar. I’ll know soon enough when I replace this bottle with a new one and make a comparison. I can see why Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye is a crowd favorite. It’s the kind of release that appeals to rye and bourbon drinkers alike.
Rating: 6.7/10.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
