Sagamore Spirit Festivus Maximus Baltimore Ravens American Rye Review

 

I live in Wisconsin. There are a few things my state is famous for: cheese, alcohol consumption, and the Green Bay Packers. Often, these three are combined in a single sitting.

 

Maryland was once a significant player in American distilling. Back in the day, before Indiana became the powerhouse of American Rye, there were Pennsylvania-style or Maryland-style ryes. The Pennsylvania version was spicier; Maryland was more mellow due to its higher corn content.

 

"[I]n 1910, there were 44 distilleries operating in Maryland, 21 of which were in downtown Baltimore. It also led them to the discovery that prior to Prohibition, Maryland was the third leading distiller of whiskey in the U.S. behind Kentucky and Pennsylvania, and at one point, it led the nation in rye whiskey production." - DistilleryTrail.com

 

Founded in 2013, Sagamore Spirit was created by Kevin Plank, the former CEO of Under Armor, and Bill McDermott. They enlisted MGP’s former Master Distiller, Larry Ebersold, to create a recipe of two rye mashbills: a familiar 95% rye/5% malted barley mash and a 52% rye, 43% corn, and 5% malted barley mash.

 

One of Sagamore Spirit’s goals is to bring back a resurgence of Maryland-style rye whiskey. A second part of the plan was to create a grain-to-glass distillery by building partnerships with local farmers and purchasing as much Maryland-grown rye as possible. Until recently, it had been producing its distillate in a 20,000-square-foot facility, blending 20% of that with 80% sourced MGP rye.

 

Earlier this year, Sagamore Spirit released its first rye using 100% of its own distillate. That’s a scary proposition for distillers. When you source your whiskey and then switch, that’s a huge gamble. Will your fans still like it? Some come out winners; others not so much. For what it is worth, I reviewed that release back in May and found it delightful.

 

Festivus Maximus is from this new side of Sagamore Spirits’ timeline. It also marks the third edition of the Baltimore Ravens commemorative bottle series, as Sagamore Spirits has partnered with the football team since 2023. Yeah, that means it is also a limited-edition offering. It can be purchased both at the distillery and select metro-Baltimore, Maryland retailers.

Unless you’re a die-hard Baltimore Ravens fan (remember, I live in Wisconsin), you might not know what Festivus Maximus refers to, which harkens back to 2001 when the Ravens won their first Super Bowl. It is now part of the team’s culture.

 

Collector bottles can be fun. Some folks will drink what’s inside, others prefer to keep them sealed. Is Festivus Maximus worth opening? Thankfully, Sagamore Spirits was kind enough to provide me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and find out!

 

• Whiskey Type: American Rye
• Distiller: Sagamore Spirits
• Age: NAS
• Mashbill: Blend of 95% rye/5% malted barley mash and a 52% rye, 43% corn, and 5% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels with 120° entry proof
• Alcohol Content: 46.5% ABV (93°)
• Price per 750mL: $39.99
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: Poured neat into my Glencairn glass, Festivus Maximum possessed a dark, almost rusty color. It formed a skinny rim while producing a wavy curtain of tears.

 

Nose: From the cover photo, you can see that I poured this outside. During the five or so minutes it took me to take this shot, the air was filled with fruity notes (and this is corn country). I gave it another five minutes from inside my whiskey library before I approached the aroma.

 

The fruity aroma was intense, with a pronounced presence of ripe plums and cherries. Less prominent were rye spice, leather, oak, and nutmeg. When I inhaled the vapor through my mouth, I tasted baked apples.

 

Palate: Festivus Maximus provided a thin, silky texture that slid across my tongue and down my throat. At the front, I experienced baked apples, honey, and brown sugar. My mid-palate discerned nutmeg, rye spice, and leather. The back featured clove, oak, and a bit of black pepper.

 

Finish: Flavors of clove, oak, rye spice, and brown sugar remained beyond the swallow. It was a level finish; the duration ran 1:16, making for a medium one.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I have two ratings here. One goes without saying. If you are a Baltimore Ravens fan who collects memorabilia and doesn’t plan on opening the bottle, for $39.00, you’ve got a great conversation piece to place on your mantle.

 

Now, let’s discuss my thoughts for those who plan on opening theirs. If you’re looking for a Rye that will punch you in the palate, this ain’t that. At the same time, it does not attempt to become barely legal. Instead, it strikes a healthy balance between sweet and spicy, with a slightly warming quality, and is easy to sip.

 

So, to open it or not? Personally, I think you’re doing yourself a disservice by keeping it sealed and on display. Festivus Maximus is an impressive pour well worth drinking, and easily earns my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.