I'm on a rye tear for the last couple of months and its not slowing down. I've saved three of the best I've had recently for my run-up to 200 tasting entries. The shear breadth of flavor palette possible with rye distillate is pretty astonishing. I love the sweet, fruity versions (Jack Daniel Single Barrel), the impeccably balanced "amplified bourbon" ryes (Pikesville), the complex boreal woodsy ryes (Whistle Pig, Lot 40), and the sophisticated bon vivant ryes (Dad's Hat, High West). Neat in a shot glass with a black coffee back or as the foundation of a dry Manhattan, rye is a treat in so many ways. I've only had one taste of Sagamore Spirit before, courtesy of a friend at Bourbon Sippers blog and that was of a barrel pick from a liquor store in central FL. It was the single most unique rye I've tasted, being almost shockingly technicolor and flavorful I couldn't resist adding this, a core expression for Sagamore Spirit, to my shopping cart on my last outing. Double Oak is finished in "toasted wave stave barrels" for an additional 18 months. According to the company, this "imparts... delightful caramel, toffee, hazelnut, and toasted coconut" notes to the release. I tasted this neat from a glencairn after a good rest. This bottle has been open for about two weeks. I have to say this is one bottle that freaked me out. The taste profile of my first couple pours was overwhelmingly cedar and fruitcake, taking it beyond even Lot 40's profile. After a while the profile seemed to mellow quite a bit and a deeper, sweeter and more complex profile emerged. I'm not sure if it was my palate or the bottle really changed, but I'd recommend giving this one a bit of time before making up your mind. The nose is Snicker's Bar, shredded coconut, milk chocolate, cherry syrup, fruitcake, and slight conifer forest floor. There's very little ethanol, this is very approachable and quite complex. The aromas I'm getting are well above average - very good. On the taste buds this is a bit dryer than the nose would lead you to believe. It has a lovely bit of spiciness, a nice warmth. Ginger and white pepper layered on cedar and walnuts. The cherry and some dark rye bread notes come along at mid palate. The finish is moderately long and nicely fades to a sweet echo. This is very accomplished. I have a rather simple scoring system that follows a bell curve. Average product scores in the 2.5 range. Excellence lies above 4. This is excellent in flavor and is a very good value. Recommended.