Sagamore Rye 9 Year Single Barrel (Kitsap Whiskey Society)

When looking for new barrel selections, I always start with feedback from the most passionate whiskey enthusiasts in the club. So, while we were driving from the Denver airport to Fort Collins to select a barrel with Old Elk, I asked the guys who we should reach out to next. Sagamore Spirits was the first answer, and I immediately agreed. A few months prior, on a family trip to Orlando, I had been in Five Star Liquor, and the owner, Sam, had mentioned that going to Sagamore to select a barrel was an incredible experience. So, I gave Sam at Five Star a call and tried to get some contact info for Sagamore. He graciously put me in touch with the local rep, which led to reaching out to Dave Rose, the Single Barrel Program Manager. This all happened while on the drive to Old Elk! He invited me out to select a barrel but told me that they had some incredible nine-year barrels coming available in January, and that’s when I should come out.

When the time came, I boarded my flight in Seattle for a whirlwind twenty-five-hour trip to Baltimore. What I experienced with Sagamore was the most polished and hospitable single barrel selection from start to finish. They put me up for a night at a beautiful boutique hotel in a vibrant part of the city, located right next to the distillery and Under Armour headquarters. Then, in the morning, Dave picked me up right on time and took me out to Sagamore Farm, with a stop for a breakfast sandwich on the way, of course. There, we met up with Chad Albertson, Brand Experience Manager for Sagamore Spirits, and got started with the tour. The tour of the farm included: the farmhouse, the indoor horse track, drinking fresh spring water used to proof the whiskey, and tasting experimental barrels at a small barrel warehouse. If that wasn’t incredible enough, we still had to head back into town to select the barrel and have lunch.

The good news is that the single barrel we decided on at the distillery lives up to the experience and hospitality offered by Dave, Chad, and the entire Sagamore team. The pour greets you with rich caramel, which then transitions to bright fruit notes, followed by a finish of baking spices and classic rye flavors. As I was eating a Maryland-style lunch of nearly every crab dish known to man with Dave and Chad, I had two thoughts: I can’t wait to release this barrel, and how soon can I make it back!