Long before Kentucky bourbon took over the American whiskey conversation, Maryland was distilling quality juice: rye whiskey. The folks at Sagamore Whiskey have spent years trying to bring that legacy back, and this month it’s making the case twice.
First off, the Baltimore-based company (which you may remember as Sagamore Spirit) is dropping a wide-release: Sagamore High Rye Straight Bourbon goes national July 1 at an SRP of $50.
The release is part of the brand’s Reserve Series, and it marks Sagamore stepping beyond the rye it’s known for; this one’s technically a bourbon, though it’s still a high-rye style one.
The mash bill runs 60% corn, 25% rye, and 15% malted rye (a rye whiskey would need 51%+ rye to earn the name), aged six years in new charred American white oak and bottled at 54% ABV.
A first, limited batch hit shelves around Baltimore last fall.
Then there’s the collector’s piece. The America 250 Straight Rye is an eight-year-old, 110-proof Maryland-style rye built to mark the country’s 250th anniversary.
This one isn’t easy to get. Sagamore is releasing just 250 bottles, each individually numbered and packaged with a commemorative coin, available only at the distillery on the Baltimore waterfront starting mid-July.
At $125, it’s a distillery-exclusive victory lap — not a bottle you’ll casually grab for a Fourth of July cookout.
Why Maryland rye still matters
Here’s the thing people forget: before Prohibition, Maryland rye was a real style — distinct, respected, and definitely not second-fiddle to Kentucky. The style all but vanished in the 20th century, so watching a distillery deliberately rebuild it has been one of the more interesting stories in American whiskey.
Historical romance aside, the double release works on two levels. The bourbon is a pragmatic move, and a $50 national release puts the brand in front of people who’d never go looking for a Maryland rye.
Meanwhile, the America 250 offers an unapologetically regional flex aimed at the folks who already care.
Where to Buy It
The High Rye Straight Bourbon is rolling out at retailers nationwide starting July 1, or you can grab it direct from the distillery for $50. The America 250 Straight Rye is a different story — it’s sold exclusively at Sagamore’s Baltimore waterfront distillery starting mid-July for $125, and with only 250 bottles made, it won’t last.
