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CATEGORY REPORT A Maryland Masterpiece: SAGAMORE SPIRIT In the not-so-distant past, Maryland was a hub for rye whiskey (more than 40 distilleries called the state home before Prohibition and switching over to ethanol production after World War I and II). To pay homage to that legacy, Sagamore Spirit Distillery—located in Baltimore and founded by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank—released its first batch of whiskey last year. The distillery features a 40-foot, mirrored-finished column still and nine 6,500-gallon ferment- ing tanks, allowing the team to produce 13–14 barrels per shift. The Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye Whiskey is cut to proof with limestone-rich water from an aquifer in Sagamore Farm, an American Thoroughbred horse–breed- ing farm that's just 22 miles from the distillery. The Cask Strength Whiskey (SRP $74), meanwhile, took home a Double Gold medal from the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Released last month, the Sagamore Reserve Double Oak Straight Rye Whiskey (SRP $60) and the Moscatel Barrel Finished Rye Whiskey (SRP $80) join the portfolio as limited releases. The Double Oak ages four years before an addi- tional four months of resting in a wave stave barrel—a cask with specialized grooves which quicken the aging process— and the bold Moscatel Barrel Finish spends 107–110 days in Moscatel-fortified wine barrels sourced from southern Spain. These spirits proudly represent Maryland's legacy of rye whiskey production and will surely be champions for decades to come. Tasting Notes Sagamore Signature Rye Whiskey ($43) A blend of high and low rye with an exquisite nose of peach and jasmine. The mouthfeel is round, amplified by a spiced apricot nectar, caramel cream, tobacco leaf, and an orange-rind finish. A lean, calcareous dryness is the effect of the limestone in the same pure spring water from Sagamore Farm in western Maryland that fuels champion Thoroughbred horses. 95 —M.M. SAGAMORE SPIRIT Where the Past Meets the Present: THE GLENLIVET FOUNDER'S RESERVE Nearly two centuries ago—right after the 1823 Excise Act passed in Scotland, paving the way for legal distilleries—George Smith opened The Glenlivet in Moray with the dream to create the smoothest whisky. In an effort to modernize this classic vision, Master Distiller Alan Winchester and his team developed Founder's Reserve by taking the distilled whisky and aging it in a selection of traditional and first-fill American oak casks. With a touch of creamy sweet- ness, the balanced whisky not only gives loyal fans of the brand a new experience, but also offers a gateway for new single-malt drinkers to the category. It deftly balances being an approachable single malt while displaying those versatile notes longtime whisky lovers will appreciate. "George's vision of his signature dram is at the core of our expressions," explains Patrick Caulfield, Brand Director for The Glenlivet. "Our whisky is just as smooth and fruity today as it was the first time it ran from the unique lantern-shaped copper pot stills the man himself designed back in 1824. Our single malt whisky encapsulates the heart and soul of The Glenlivet and pays tribute to the time-honored art of distilling that is inherent in everything we do." Tasting Notes Glenlivet Founder's Reserve ($38) Delicately floral on the nose, this elegantly-appointed whisky offers up additional aromas of magnolia and gardenia and honeyed pear. The taste profile is sweet with ripe guava, toffee apples, and cocoa. It finishes with a squeeze of orange along with the zest of the citrus. 96 —M.M. 100 / the tasting panel / november 2017 the smoothest whisky. In an effort to modernize this classic vision, Master Distiller Alan Winchester and his Founder's Reserve by taking the distilled whisky and aging it in a selection of traditional and first-fill American oak casks. With a touch of creamy sweet- ness, the balanced whisky not only gives loyal fans of the brand a new experience, but also offers a gateway for new single-malt drinkers to the category. It deftly balances being an approachable single malt while displaying those versatile notes longtime whisky lovers "George's vision of his signature dram is at the core of our expressions," explains Patrick Caulfield, Brand Director for The Glenlivet. "Our whisky is just as smooth and fruity today as it was the first time it ran from the unique lantern-shaped copper pot stills the man himself designed back