Sagamore 9 Year Straight Rye

The nose is complex and balanced, featuring rye spice, gingerbread, lemon zest, honey, mild sweet oak, apple, white pepper, dill, and sage, with surprisingly low ethanol for its proof. The palate maintains balance with gingerbread, vanilla, lemongrass, nutmeg, cereal grains, orange, toffee, and honeysuckle, delivering powerful flavors. The lengthy finish includes mint, sea salt, pepper, burnt marshmallow, cocoa powder, and dusty toasted oak. Its full-bodied, unctuous mouthfeel enhances the experience, preventing the spicy finish from being harsh. This is a spectacular rye with a near-perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and herbal notes. Compared to last year's release, this one has darker notes versus the brighter character of the previous year. While last year's might be slightly better, this offers exceptional value for its price. It's already sold out in my area.

Currently, it's good but not exceptional. It's a smooth, standard drink that could be mistaken for a bourbon, with a mild oak character and cherry notes, but lacks complexity. It doesn't impress as much as the slightly pricier Heaven Hill Grain to Glass rye.

Aroma: dried fruit, peach, tartness, vanilla, honey, toasted cinnamon, maple, and burnt caramel. Taste: vanilla, dried fruit, sweetness, spice or pepperiness, honey, toasted cinnamon, maple, and burnt caramel.

It possesses a subtle rye spice and a hint of mint, but the bright fruit notes are what truly stand out. This was an excellent rye that I would gladly repurchase at the price paid.

Just three days post-bottling, I'd describe it as quite tasty and layered. I'm eager to discover how this bottle evolves with more time. Rye enthusiasts should definitely pick this one up.

Nose: subtle marshmallow, not very dill or minty Palate: strong caramel, some char at the beginning. Good viscosity, some spearmint, good soft tannins in the finish.