Sagamore Spirit Distiller's Select Manhattan Finish Rye

I had heard about Sagamore Spirit and the manhattan finish really caught my attention. Since I'm currently focused on reviewing ryes, now felt like the right moment to try it. Nose: I was immediately met with fruit and robust wood notes. There's a touch of red fruit alongside fragrant orange, a sharp rye spice, and a subtle funk reminiscent of vermouth. What stood out was how this seemed like a more successful rendition of Whistlepig 15, as both bring vermouth to mind, but this is less intense in that regard. I also appreciated the rich, full aroma of new oak. It presents as complex, well-rounded, and reasonably aged. Palate: It's quite sweet, featuring abundant red fruit (cherry) combined with orange peel, that vermouth-like spicy funk, and rye spice. However, the rye flavor is less prominent than anticipated. The complexity and balance are good, but it's sweeter and fruitier than I expected or preferred. The underlying wine character of the vermouth becomes more apparent towards the finish. Despite its sweetness, there's a dryness that provides some balance. Finish: It has a syrupy cherry taste, sweet vermouth (with lingering spice), hints of new oak, and something akin to rye at times. During the extended finish, the cherry syrup develops a slightly cloying floral note. - Conclusion - This is an excellent cocktail. My initial thought that it would be less cocktail-like than Whistlepig 15 was incorrect, but this is at least more enjoyable and openly promotes its cocktail character. As a whiskey, how should I rate this? It's superior to Whistlepig 15 (rated a 16, but just barely). Although this has a slightly more youthful profile, it offers greater balance and complexity beyond the vermouth compared to the otherwise rather bland and light Whistlepig. Beyond that, it becomes harder to judge. As a cocktail, it's superb. But how does it stack up against something like Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Rye (rated 17)? That's a tougher question. If tasted side-by-side, I would definitely choose the Russell's Reserve. As far as I can tell, it's surpassed by Pikesville (just under a 17) but is quite comparable to Whistlepig PiggyBack (a high 16), though likely not quite as good. It's also in the same tier as Michter's Rye (a high 15) and slightly better than Elijah Craig Rye (15). I believe a 16 is an appropriate rating. As I finish the sample, my assessment changes. I'm now placing it significantly below Pikesville, more on par with Elijah Craig Rye (a moderate 15)... particularly due to the finish. By this point, the novelty has faded. I could certainly see how this could be a cocktail – specifically a manhattan, based on the flavors experienced. I had a general idea that a manhattan included rye and vermouth, but I had to look up the actual recipe to confirm the ingredients. The core components are roughly a 3:1 ratio of rye to sweet vermouth. For garnish, there's orange peel and a brandied cherry. The only ingredient I didn't detect was Angostura bitters. In that respect, it's a great success. However, with the novelty gone and that unpleasant lingering finish bothering me, my rating shifts from a 16 down to a 15, and finally a 14. Ultimately, this is a good imitation cocktail, but it's unusual as a whiskey. I wouldn't regret buying a bottle, but it wouldn't be my first choice. I haven't seen the price, but I suspect it costs more than buying a bottle of Pikesville plus the other Manhattan ingredients, which would be a much more appealing purchase. Thank you to the person who shared this unusual spirit with me!

As a dedicated Manhattan drinker, usually weekly, I had to try this when I saw it at the distillery while visiting Baltimore. I've gradually become interested in and a fan of their brand. The Port finish was truly exceptional. Their newer finishes and experimental approaches are interesting and a good way to stand out. The nose has a subtle sweetness reminiscent of sweet vermouth, followed by vanilla cream, maraschino cherries, honeydew, dill, cinnamon, cloves, wood char, leather, and fresh cigar tobacco. The 51.5% abv brings considerable heat. The vermouth comes through clearly, alongside Angostura bitters, orange peel, Demerara sugar, white pepper, and cloves. Wood char and oak tannins conclude the pour, with hints of orange zest bitterness. Vanilla emerges at the very end, with the overall experience lasting a moderate duration. Served over ice, it becomes a more refined chilled rye Manhattan. The sharpness is softened, and the sweetness is amplified. It's not overpowering and balances better with the spice. The finish is less drying and bitter. Overall, much better with one or two cubes of ice. I've been a fan of Sagamore Spirit for about eight years living in the Maryland/Baltimore area. I appreciate their innovative finishes (Cognac, tequila, etc.). This drinks more like a cocktail than a typical rye. If you enjoy rye Manhattans, you should like this. Would I continuously spend over $70 on a Manhattan? No. It's packed with the aromas and flavors of an unapologetic Manhattan, making it a nice indulgence.

Here's another illustration of the diverse experimental finishes being employed by numerous whiskey brands, with this distillery trying out a Manhattan-style finished rye. I used to strictly avoid anything finished outside of port, sherry, or red wine, but lately, some truly interesting ones have impressed me and sparked my interest in exploring different finished whiskeys. A huge thank you to friends for the samples provided to determine if this is a success or destined for the failed experiment archives. The aroma begins with a combination of cinnamon apple and cherry pie filling, along with hints of dill and graham cracker crust, followed by barrel spices of ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and light oak, with a moderate ethanol burn. The taste has a medium texture, starting with those apple and cherry pie fillings, then some orange peel appears, followed by chewing on more dill fronds alongside nutmeg, cloves, sage, a highly drying oaky spice, and a moderate ethanol burn. The finish is medium length, with notes of fruit roll-ups, dill, orange peel, sage, cinnamon apples, dry oaky spice, and cloves. This was an interesting experiment that starts with a pleasant balance of sweet, herbaceous, and barrel spices on the nose, but the taste quickly shifts from sweet fruit pie filling towards chewing a mouthful of freshly picked dill, sage leaves, and playground wood chips, which persists through the finish and spoils the experience for me. This experiment was not successful for me neat or even on ice, but I'm thankful for the opportunity to try it and will be interested in sampling some of this distillery's other experiments.

Aroma - salted caramel, black cherry, chocolate, coffee, leather, grape, orange zest, bitter oak, brown sugar, vanilla, clove, mint, fennel, with a moderate alcohol burn. Palate - mint, caramel, vanilla, licorice, black cherry, clove, grape, leather, brown sugar, chocolate, licorice, orange, with tannic oak, a moderate to high alcohol intensity, finishing medium-short with mint, chocolate, and cherry flavors. This smells like a rye whiskey with more cherry and chocolate characteristics than typically found in the category. There's also a subtle grape quality suggesting a brandy finish. The palate is sweet rye and evokes cherry chocolate chip ice cream. The finish is rather short and is the least appealing aspect. It's like a flat soda, almost cloyingly sweet without the vibrancy of the initial taste and mid-palate. Overall, this is typical for this brand for me. It's decent, but overpriced considering its flaws that prevent it from being exceptional. My thanks to a friend for the sample. I'll probably avoid anything like this in the future and stick to my usual classic cocktails.

I'm not sure I've ever had a genuine Manhattan. My experience involves a mock version with alcohol-free whiskey, grape juice, a few drops of bitters, and sugar-free agave syrup. So, by that standard, I probably shouldn't judge whether this is similar to a Manhattan. However, if tasted blind, I wouldn't have identified this as a rye. It resembles a cocktail more, with sweetness like ripe dark cherries from Michigan, plus some orange and oak. The cherries overshadow the rye. I find this puzzling. If someone wants a Manhattan, they can just buy an inexpensive rye and the other ingredients. This offers a solution to a non-existent problem. It's acceptable and a decent drink, but I question its necessity.

AROMA: Vermouth, cocktail cherries, copper, spice, leather, sugar, and a hint of oak. It's just overwhelmingly sweet. It smells like a pre-made cocktail, a good, high-quality pre-made cocktail, but a cocktail nonetheless. PALATE: Vermouth, cocktail cherries, copper, spice, orange peels, angostura, leather, sugar, and a hint of oak. If you handed me a glass of this specific finished whiskey on ice and told me you'd mixed a cocktail, I wouldn't doubt you for a second. FINISH: Medium, becoming sticky sweet with some hints of oak, bitters, and orange peel.