Sagamore Spirit 10-Year Maryland Rye Review (2025)

 

Maryland used to be a big deal 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 led the nation in rye whiskey production." - DistilleryTrail.com

 

Founded in 2013, Sagamore Spirit was the brainchild of Kevin Plank, the then-CEO of Under Armor, and Bill McDermott. They enlisted MGP’s former Master Distiller, Larry Ebersold, to create a recipe of two rye mashbills he envisioned. As it turned out, those consisted of a familiar 95% rye/5% malted barley mash and a 52% rye, 43% corn, and 5% malted barley mash.  

 

Sagamore Spirit’s distilling team consisted of Max Hame and Christopher Schultz, working with Ryan Norwood, its director of quality. 

 

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. It has been producing its distillate in a 20,000-square-foot facility and blending 20% of that with 80% sourced MGP rye.

 

However, earlier this year, Sagamore Spirit was releasing whiskeys made entirely from its in-house distillate. Recently, Sagamore Spirit dropped its oldest expression to date: a 10-Year Rye! If you do the math, you’ll understand why this particular release is still a blend of the original formula.

 

Sagamore Spirit maintains a 120° entry proof, and subsequent proofing is deliberate in everything it makes. It has been sourcing barrels made of Maryland-grown oak from Independent Stave Company (ISC).

 

So, how does Sagamore Spirits’ landmark whiskey taste? We’ll #DrinkCurious to answer that, but first, I must thank them for providing me with a sample of it in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight American Rye
• Distiller: Sagamore Spirit & MGP
• Age: 10 years
• Mashbill: A blend of 95% rye/5% malted barley (MGP – 80%) and a 52% rye, 43% corn, and 5% malted barley (Sagamore Spirit – 20%)
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 55.4% ABV (110.8°)
• Price per 750mL: $79.99

 

Appearance: I poured this whiskey into my Glencairn glass with the intention of sipping it neat. It presented with a deep amber color and a medium rim that discharged tightly spaced, medium tears.

 

Nose: I waited about fifteen minutes before I brought the glass beneath my nose and started exploring. I smelled chocolate, maple, molasses, and grilled pineapples. As I pulled the aroma into my mouth, I found ginger snaps.

 

Palate: Sagamore Spirit 10-Year possessed a thin, silky texture and a mild mint palate shock. My second sip revealed cocoa, honey, and vanilla bean on the front, with notes of spiced nuts, soft oak, and graham crackers in the middle. The back tasted of gingerbread, clove, and a touch of cinnamon.

 

Finish: The soft, level finish featured flavors of gingerbread, cinnamon, spiced nuts, cocoa, and vanilla bean. It traversed into the long-duration territory.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The cool thing about mature American Ryes is that they often lack the sharpness and punch of their younger counterparts. Instead, they tend to be mellow, easy sippers that provide plenty of depth and enjoyment.

 

With a Maryland-style Rye, those qualities have the potential to be magnified. Sagamore Spirit knocked this one out of the park. It was perfectly proofed and such a pleasure to drink. It will appeal to Bourbon and American Rye fans alike. Frankly, I find the price of Sagamore Spirit 10-Year Rye to be a bargain; you’re getting one heck of a bang for the buck. My Bottle rating is well-deserved. 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.