Sagamore Rye has emerged as a useful weapon in the whiskey wars. The Maryland-based distiller established itself as a solid producer of quality booze in recent years. It's newer and trendy, certainly, leaning into the rise of regional spirits from places not known for it.
Even better, they're affordable in a landscape of expanding prices and the sneakerification of bourbon brands.
That reputation crashed into another indicator of quality with a recent release. Bottled in bond means you're looking at a spirit that's at least four years old, sourced from a single distillery and 100 proof. Paralyzed by choice at the liquor store? Grab a bottled in bond offering and you know you're headed home with a high floor whiskey.
Sagamore's gone above and beyond
with an eight-year variety that clocks in on the expensive side for them (about $60) but is still less than similarly aged spirits on the shelf. That's a good start, but it won't matter if it tastes like a $25 bottle.
Let's see what we've got.
Sagamore Rye Bottled in Bond: B
The smell off the pour is light for a rye, but hits all the hallmarks you'd expect. A little bit of sugar, a little malty grain and the pepper you'd expect from the medium. It's welcoming and appealing, even if it's not very complex.
That's kinda the whole vibe here. The opening sip starts off mellow and sweet before building into that bold rye profile. A mild vanilla and cherry kicks things off before getting into the hallmark rye flavors. Pepper, leather, a little bit of chocolate and cinnamon all clock in, building as you go. It's sort of like eating a reasonably spiced potato chip (I used Blair's Death Rain chips in the video. That's probably a bit too spicy, but the chips are still pretty great). The heat isn't substantial, but it grows more and more as time goes on to unleash the full range of its flavor.
The flavors are well constructed, but not especially deep or complex. That's totally fine! At about $60 it's providing plenty of value for anyone looking for those peppy rye influences that leave each sip in a more interesting place then where it began. Even if you're not, there's something to like in both phases of the sip.
Would I drink it instead of a Hamm's?
This a pass/fail mechanism where I compare whatever I’m drinking to my baseline cheap beer. That’s the standby from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm’s. So the question to answer is: on a typical day, would I drink Sagamore Rye's Bottled in Bond over a cold can of Hamm’s?
Yeah. Like Hamm's, it's a lower cost alternative that gets the job done. There isn't a ton of depth here, but the flavors are satisfying, the finish is smooth in a way that grows on you, and it's strong enough that you never forget what you're sipping.
This is part of FTW’s Beverage of the Week series. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Sagamore Rye Bottled in Bond review: Reliable, affordable and a little light
