Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/948966
106 / the tasting panel / march 2018 Rye Street Tavern Located adjacent to the Sagamore Spirit distill- ery, this 200-seat spot focused on mid-Atlantic cuisine is the newest restaurant operated by NoHo Hospitality Group. Guests who pop over before or after a distillery tour will be pleased to find four Sagamore expressions lined up behind the stave-flanked back bar, which over- looks a balcony resembling a barrel's curves. According to Beverage Manager Scott Kollig, Rye Street's staff sells an average of 2,000 pours of Sagamore a month. That doesn't include rye-based cocktails, the most popular of which is the Rattlesnake with Sagamore Spirit 83 Proof Rye, St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and Angostura Aromatic Bitters. The Sagamore Swizzle, meanwhile, mixes the 83 Proof Rye with Lyon Distilling Co. Dark Rum (a fellow made-in-Maryland spirit), lime, mint, and chocolate bitters. ••••• Sagamore Pendry Hotel/Rec Pier Chop House This 128-room hotel in the city's vibrant Fell's Point neighborhood is all about whiskey: A "Sagamore Experience" package combines a harbor-view accommodation with transporta- tion to and from the distillery, as well as a tour and tasting. At check-in, guests also receive a Baltimore-inspired password that can be traded at the bar in exchange for a shot of Sagamore Rye. Jon Chocklett, the hotel's Director of Sales and Marketing, estimates 10–15 percent of hotel guests visit Sagamore Spirit during their stay. Rec Pier Chop House carries the full Sagamore Spirit portfolio except for the white rye and stocks 12 rye brands altogether. "The category is well-received and has found trac- tion in the rebirth of classic cocktails and the recognition of Baltimore's rich history of distil- lation," says Joshua Nadel, Beverage Director for NoHo Hospitality Group. Bartenders pour the Sagamore Spirit 83 Proof Rye in the House Manhattan, House Old Fashioned, and the Biscotti Old Fashioned, where it's stirred with Faretti Biscotti Liqueur and aromatic and chocolate bitters. Scott Kollig is the Beverage Manager at Rye Street Tavern, located next to the Sagamore Spirit distillery. The Rattlesnake with Sagamore Spirit 83 Proof Rye, St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and Angostura Aromatic Bitters. REPORT whiskey PHOTO: TASHA DOOLEY PHOTO: TASHA DOOLEY > >