Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link in this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
For Angel’s Envy, the Kentucky-based distillery very much known for its straight bourbon finished in port wine barrels, a highlight on the calendar each year is the release of a limited edition, cask strength version of its flagship product. It is an adventure they began 12 years ago, emerging for the first time earlier this year under the helm of Master Distiller Owen Martin, who joined the brand last fall.
The premise of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength, as always, is the distillery team selecting “noteworthy barrels from its rickhouses [aged five to nine years] to put through an extended finishing process in port wine barrels from Portugal.” It’s been said by them this gives the whiskey each year a unique, award winning flavor profile, which if you judge by rack of medals it has seen over the time (most recently, the 2022 edition received a Double Gold from The San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a Gold from Fred Minnick’s ASCOT Awards and both a Platinum as well as Innovation Awards from the SIP Awards), one quickly understands the distillers here to be on to something.
Barrel finishing in of itself is a pretty common practice these days from distillers large and small. Given the fact Angel’s Envy was founded in 2010, this offers them a leg up in terms of experience around being among the first American whiskey producers to employ a secondary finishing process broadly across its portfolio.
Specifics of the Angel’s Envy 2023 Cask Strength Bourbon indicate it to be bottled at 118.2 proof, with just over 22,650 bottles being released at select retailers across the U.S. for $229.99. It should be noted as well the distillery released at the same time, for the first time ever, a companion Cask Strength Rye finished in sauternes and toasted oak barrels that we will cover in a separate review.
Tasting Notes: Angel’s Envy 2023 Cask Strength Bourbon
Vital Stats: bottled at 118.2 proof; just over 22,650 bottles released; $229.99 MSRP.
Appearance: Expertise in barrel finishing shows here via the lovely orange, brown coloring tinted with red hues from the port barrel finish. Legs dance nicely on the insides of the glass.
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Nose: Oh, this is nice. Warm aromatics of butterscotch, chocolate, vanilla, Cracker Jack and brown sugar.
Palate: This is the stuff made for cold nights. Chestnut, earthy funk, vanilla, oak, sweet toffee, warm spice and pumpernickel bread combine for a decadent taste that lingers into a long, meandering finish to keep your mouth watering.
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