Hundreds of people lining up outside Sagamore Spirit’s Baltimore distillery at 6am recently to get a first taste of the brand’s first whiskey entirely distilled and aged in Baltimore.
In what may be the most limited-ever of limited releases, the brand invited only its most ardent local fans to get a first and very early taste. They showed up in droves, with more than 500 taking Sagamore up on the offer.
The brand only charged 1 penny for each 250ml bottle – paying homage to the three-year-old distillery’s copper still (nickname: “Penny”) that nurtured the liquid, and inspired this extremely limited offering’s name: “Penny’s Proof.”
Officials at Sagamore said it will take two more years in the barrel before this batch is fully finished to meet Sagamore Spirit’s exacting standards and get widely released. But, they added, early reviews of the young liquid are glowing, as the brand continues its quest to inspire passion and appreciation for Maryland-style rye.