Sagamore Spirit Rye Ale Finish Rye

#23 Very interesting flavor. Nicely done. Love the combination of a good rye with the hop twist.

Nose: Dill, basil, thyme. Slight camphor. There's a note reminiscent of freshly rubbed hops - I didn't initially recognize it as such until I read a review that said it. Once I noticed it, I was taken back to the hop storage room at Sierra Nevada, picking up a bunch of hobs, rubbing them between my hands, and giving them a big ol' whiff. There's some sweetness in the back - slight vanilla and brown sugar. Oak comes through, though not making any big waves. Mint. Dark chocolate covered strawberries. Graham crackers with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Some fruits, but nothing crazy. The finishing process here is helping tamp down some flavors while highlighting others. Slighty earthy in the very back. A little unique, but nothing crazy. Palate: Sweet basil, thyme, dill. Vanilla with a touch of white sugar. A little oak. Mint chocolate chip ice cream, cigar tobacco. Nutmeg, clove, allspice. Strawberries. Faint roasted nuts. There's an almost ashy, earthy thing going on that I can't quite put my finger on. A little bubblegum character, too. Some bitterness, as well, though not entirely from the tannin. Apples - sweet and tart. That ashy, earthy note is parsing much closer to dust and leather now - also deeply toasted, almost burnt peppercorns. Maraschino cherries. Mid palate focused with solid upper palate development, though not much lower. Mouthfeel is medium light. Finish: Herbal, slightly vegetal, and slightly bitter. The oak is a little more apparent, though not by much. Evolves into fire-roasted bell peppers, cumin, toasted black pepper, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, all alongside bright, sweet lemons and mint. Cream pokes in, along with classic vanilla and sugar. Everything sort of fights for center stage, with things never fully integrating. Medium-long length - there's some solid oil content here. Other notes: As a resident of Chico, CA, I have a bias towards Sierra Nevada. In fact, their barrel aging facility is just down the road from the office I work at (when not quarantined, that is). When I first heard of this, I was intrigued. The concept seemed interesting, if not completely unheard of in the booze world. And it's mostly paid off - enough so that I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for their other expressions, especially the non-finished ones. I don't know that I'd be able to recommend this to many people, but if you're into rye or things with unique finishes, this might be worth picking up. Solid execution.

Big fan of this, but to be fair I’m also a giant Sierra Nevada beer fan - so it’s pretty bias. Easy to drink and solid spice notes.

Wow! What an interesting experience. The rye beer barrel finish adds a creamy quality to this that sets it apart from other rye whiskies. Notes of rye spice, dark fruit, pear, apple, cocoa and cream soda in this one

Really interesting collaboration. The initial aroma is of hops and then the Rye reveals itself. I think the collaboration brings a herbaceous element to both Aroma and flavor. Not overly spicy and enjoyable. Very glad to have tried this.