I’m generally skeptical of double oak expressions as I’ve seen so many of them go off the rails and lose all sense of their own personality, but Sagamore’s top-tier rye juice handles the treatment incredibly well. The deep tawny color is accented by flecks of ruby, and it’s just gorgeous to the eye. The aromatic profile is fascinating, because it’s certainly double-oaked, but everything is underpinned by pure rye character. Think of the following descriptors as all suffixed by “…and rye” – Madagascar vanilla, cedar, clove, chocolate brownie, fudge, dark pipe tobacco, forest floor, raisin bread, and candied coconut. The palate is a much more nuanced in terms of its oak character, and the rye really takes center stage here. A beautiful, cutting rye spice hits with immediacy, while the oak tones are wonderfully layered and measured yet still give the whiskey a nice, woody punch. Tart cranberry and cherry interspersed with cacao, cola, and red hot candies all lead to a lifted, minty finish. It’s quite an achievement for the style.
93 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Jul 2026)
Amber color. Aromas and flavors of milk chocolate, kola nut and baking spices, Nutella, and brown sugar with a round, lively, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, medium-long finish with notes of chocolate covered coconut, candied walnut, and dark roasted toffee. Bold oak flavors balance the underlying rye spice with baked goods and vanilla; a hedonistic pleasure for those that love these flavors.
92 points, Beverage Testing Institute (May 2024)
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