Sagamore Spirits Rum Cask Finish

Sagamore Spirits Rum Cask Finish

The Basics: 

Sagamore Spirits Distillery

98 Proof

5 Year Age Statement

$80 MSRP

Nose:

Toasted cinnamon raisin bread, pound cake, dark molasses, coconut macaroon, charred pineapple, vanilla, and toasted pecans.

Palate: 

Boozy fruit punch, coconut cream, starfruit, and cinnamon sticks.

Finish:

Medium finish with bananas foster, grilled pineapple, and cayenne.

Final Thoughts:

The newest release in the Sagamore Spirits’ Reserve Series is their standard straight rye whiskey finished in Jamaican and South American rum barrels for an additional 10 months. As soon as you crack open the bottle, you can immediately notice the influence of the additional rum barrel aging. There are intense tropical fruit notes combined with dark molasses and coconut macaroons. The rum barrels bring a much darker sweetness to the whiskey that you would not normally find in a straight rye, especially one that is aged for five years. These aromas carry over into the palate and finish along with a hit of grilled pineapple and even a cayenne pepper kick on the back end. I tend to be very skeptical of finished whiskies, but there is something different about finished rye whiskies that I enjoy more than bourbons. The spiciness of the rye and heavy dark sweetness of the rum work well together to create a whiskey that as you continually nose, new notes appear each time!