Sagamore’s Latest Rye Sports A Rum Cask Finish

Sagamore Spirit has added yet another rye whiskey to its large range of offerings, sprouting a new bottling from its Reserve Series that takes the form of a rum cask finished expression.

The new Sagamore Rum Cask Finish Rye Whiskey, according to those behind it, springboards off a similar offering back in 2019 that was offered exclusively at the distillery and received a positive response. This time around what one has here in the bottle is something the distilling team crafted by taking “a blend of its barrel-aged 5- and 6-year-old straight rye whiskies, placing some of it in hand-selected barrels from South America, and the rest in barrels from Jamaica, aging both for an additional 10 months. Once aged, the whiskey from both barrels were then blended back together.”

“This product is another great example of our distilling team’s commitment to excellence,” said Brian Treacy, Sagamore Spirit’s co-founder and president of distillery operations, in a prepared statement. “Rum and rye whiskey were both favorites in Maryland’s early days, dating back centuries. Our team brought them together again in a whole new way that brings out the best of sugarcane and rye grain, all in one bottle.”

The 98 proof Rum Cask Finish is part of the Sagamore Spirit Reserve Series, a collection of limited-edition Maryland-style rye whiskies that are said to celebrate the legacy of Maryland distilling. It can be savored neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a seasonal cocktail as warmer weather approaches. It is becoming available nationwide this month in 750ml bottles at a suggested retail price of $79.

Official tasting notes for it make mention that the “Jamaican rum barrels contribute notes of ripe banana and bright pineapple, which are then balanced by the rich vanilla and brûléed sugar character from the South American rum barrels.”