Well, folks, we’re not going to lie to you. The next few weeks around here are going to have a prevailing theme, and that theme is Whiskey. Due to the site updates changing the typical review seeking, and because we are prepping some special December goodness the old fallback of whiskey dominated reviews reigns again. We have at least been kind to break it up instead of being scotch every week, which leads us here.
To America, which is a country – in the Americas. It’s a rye which isn’t as common as it should be here considering how often Manhatten’s/Old Fashioned’s are made in the lounge. While this might have served well in some regards the sheer price point for what could have been spent on a small-batch bourbon is what takes this from potentially iconic, to awful.
What they Say: “Our spirit flows from a spring house, built in 1909, at Maryland’s Sagamore Farm – uniquely pure and naturally filtered spring water, fed from a limestone aquifer. The same water that fuels our champion thoroughbreds, also cuts the rich spice of our rye, creating a spirit as revolutionary as America’s risk-takers and history makers. Our story is one of passion, of old meeting new, and crafting a timeless American whiskey”
Taste: 6.0 – At first it’s actually rather sweet, albeit short.
Aftertaste: 4.0 – Because very quickly and then for a very long time you get an in your face punch of Rye, with some heat you’d expect from a higher proof whiskey. Subtle it is not.
Burn/Smooth: 3.5 – This is not smooth in the meaning of that word. Nor is it the pure rotgut burn either though.
Aroma: 6.0 – That is very much rye smelling almost annoyingly so. There isn’t something that makes it truly distinctive, complex, or wholly enjoyable though.
Honesty: 6.5 – It’s a bit flowery if we’re honest, but there are no lies. The bottle and look as well are very art deco 20’s esque which certainly does it some favours. It is still farm water though so let’s not get too carried away.
Mixability: 4.33
W/ Rocks: 6.0 – That does take some of the edges off in a rounded corners only kind of way. Not the best choice for a sipping rye, but not half bad.
Whiskey and Coke: 3.0 – Horrible where did the whiskey go? I thought the ratio was wrong, but even making it more even and you still lose so much of that rye.
Whiskey Sour: 4.0 – It is fine here I guess, but like the coke, it lacks the power and distinctiveness.
Value: 2.0 – Now we come to the real loser. because if this was a whole 20 dollars cheaper we’d be talking here. This though puts you tantalizingly close to regular bourbon and other American whiskey small batches, craft, and overall true distinctive whiskies.
Google Shop Average: $44
Website: https://sagamorespirit.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 3.5
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Metric Score: 32.33/70 |+| Metric Average: 4.62 |+| Reviewer Average: 3.5
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Final Thoughts: This comes off more as an overproof bourbon without any of the true power, and not awful price point. The bottle does well to stand out (it’s why we bought it), but it does not deserve that, by any measure. Sort of sad really as Baltimore doesn’t need another voice in the crowd bringing it down, but maybe whiskey isn’t your bag.
