What the Distillery Says: Parker’s Heritage Collection is a tribute to sixth generation master Distiller, Parker Beam, for his 45+ years of service to the distilling industry. Hand selected by Parker himself, the barrels for this second edition have been aging since 1981 on the lower floors of one of Parker’s favorite rickhouses. There, the more constant temperature tamed the aging process, yielding a rich, 27-year-old Bourbon that defies its age.
What Richard Says: Nose: Ripe plums, toasted oak, caramel, toffee, vanilla, and Alton Brown’s oatmeal raisin cookies (the ones with no flour and golden raisins). Palate: More vanilla, oak, with old leather and cinnamon. There is also this weird initial note that reminds me of SweetTarts (yeah, I know). An exceptionally balanced drink. Finish: Rich, leathery, fiery, meaty, tobacco tinged, oak laden, and supremely masculine. Comments: I pulled this one out of the back of the whiskey cabinet to help close out this year’s National Bourbon Heritage Month. It’s extremely rare to see a 27 year old bourbon. The angels are wicked greedy with their share after 27 years. It’s even rarer still for said bourbon to be any good. Usually you would get a wet oak stave in a bottle. This is something different and truly spectacular. My hat is off to Mr. Beam for his exceptional talents. Rating: Must Buy
Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond 50% ABV $70-$80 Website What the Distillery Says: On Sunday evening, April 2, 2006, a severe storm tore through Central Kentucky, damaging two Buffalo Trace Distillery aging warehouses. Fortunately, no one was injured and Warehouse “B” was empty at the time. However, Warehouse “C” sustained significant damage to its roof and north brick wall. Warehouse “C” is one of the most treasured warehouses on property, built by Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. in 1881. While the strong storm raged across the Distillery, the bourbon barrels stood strong, never budging from their resting spots. That summer, the barrels patiently waited while the roof and wall repairs took place. The barrels sat exposed to the Central Kentucky climate for months as the sun and wind took their toll. During the summer of 2006 weather inevitably contributed to increased evaporation, wood interaction and rich flavors in this bourbon whiskey. The angel’s share amounted to an astonishingly high 63.9% loss.
On nose, the aroma of dried fig and cloves jump from the glass initially along with plenty of baking spice and an oaky dryness provides balance that quickly builds anticipation for a taste. A small sip fills the mouth with jam-like cooked fruit, vanilla and a touch of smoke. The finish quickly builds in dark spices until the end as hints of tobacco leave you with the final impressions of this bourbon.
What Richard Says: Nose: Dark berries drizzled with vanilla and tree sap. Palate: Initially it’s something that reminds me of IHOP. There is a lot of vanilla and mint but also something that makes me think of the mixing all the various IHOP syrups (maple, boysenberry, strawberry, etc.) A pancake suicide? Finish: This finished very clean and dry with just a little spicy oak. Very easy going down…dangerously so. Comments: This was actually the first of the new Taylor series that I tried even though it is the third release. This one is still my favorite. It reminds me the old Eagle Rare 101 from back in the day. Rating: Stands Out
Colonel E. H. Taylor Single Barrel, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond 50% ABV $60-$70 Website What the Distillery Says: Colonel Taylor is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased the now Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today, such as climate controlled aging warehouses. In addition to his bourbon interests, Taylor had political ties. He was the great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor and elected the mayor of Frankfort, state representative to the Kentucky General Assembly and a member of the State Senate.
E.H. Taylor Single Barrel is aged exclusively in Warehouse C, which was built by Taylor in 1881 and proven to be an excellent aging warehouse. This bourbon whiskey is very delicate. The aroma carries lightly toasted oak, with dried figs and butterscotch. The sweetness on the tongue remains balanced with tobacco and dark spices that finish just long enough to prepare the palette for another sip. The bottle itself replicates Colonel Taylor’s original design used over a century ago.
What Richard Says: Nose: This nose is a little shy. Give it time and a light honeysuckle sweetness comes out followed by oak and leather notes. Palate: The palate is as muted as the nose. It’s leathery and has something burnt in it too. Finish: Dry like a day old cigar stub. Comments: The second release in the Taylor series is a fine bourbon but it loses points on the price. It would be a stand out $40 to $50 bourbon but in the $60+ range it is average at best. I think Buffalo Trace might be getting greedy with the price on this one. Rating: Average
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels 43.3% ABV $45 Website What the Distillery Says: One man’s masterpiece, Angel’s Envy is an artisan bourbon inspired by Lincoln Henderson’s lifetime spent perfecting his craft and creating fine spirits. There may just be a spark of divine vision mixed in as well. Recognized by Malt Advocate, The Bourbon Review and Maxim as one of the top spirits released in 2010, Angel’s Envy is positioned as the world’s premier super-premium bourbon brand.
Beyond all the press, Angel’s Envy is Lincoln Henderson’s passion — a career culminating in two fingers of the finest bourbon you’ve ever tasted. To call Angel’s Envy “small batch” is an understatement.
Our bourbon starts with the native Kentucky climate and soil in which our corn and rye are grown, and a pristine limestone watershed rich in calcium and magnesium. These local ingredients are distilled and aged for four to six years in American white oak barrels. Because we want to create a genuinely unique spirit, we age it for three to six additional months in hand-selected port casks to create an exceptionally smooth and nuanced bourbon.
Some people might say Lincoln Henderson has a problem when they hear that he personally samples every batch of Angel’s Envy. We agree — he’s a raging perfectionist. Through every step of the process, he personally judges each batch’s readiness. We hope you’ll be able to overlook his condition.
Mr. Henderson describes his masterwork as “a warm spirit, lacking any hint of edginess, with ephemeral hints of port wine and a rich amber hue.” He explains, “My goal with Angel’s Envy is to produce a bourbon of exceptional character. Even with economic fluctuations, consumers want the opportunity to treat themselves to special indulgences, and I have created an affordable luxury that can be savored.” Lincoln Henderson sought to create the best-tasting bourbon on the planet. In our humble opinion, he succeeded.
Shake the bottle. If you’re lucky enough, you might see something special. We like to call it “essence.” We don’t filter our bourbon. If you’re looking for a filtered bourbon, the shelves are full of them. Filtration can remove up to 20% of a bourbon’s flavor and color. We prefer to let our bourbon live in its natural state. If that means an occasional particle, we think you’ll understand.
But why do we call it Angel’s Envy? As bourbon ages in the barrels, it’s drawn into the charred white oak during summer months and it recedes back into the virgin barrels during winter months. For each year of maturation, 5% of the barrel’s bourbon is lost to evaporation. For generations, this precious lost bourbon has been called the Angel’s Share. After tasting his creation, Lincoln Henderson reckoned that the angels might have wanted a bigger cut. Thus, Angel’s Envy was born.
What Richard Says: Nose: Buttery toffee, caramel, and wildflower honey. Palate: Delicately sweet. Vanilla and cinnamon stand out with a little more toffee and fruity notes. Finish: Well balanced. A little wood spice interplays with remnants of the palate to medium length before abruptly turning dry and fading out. Comments: I’m really liking some of the new finished bourbon’s released recently. The Parker’s Cognac Finish and Angel’s Envy stand out from the crowd. This is a dangerously easy to drink bourbon. Tasty and well balanced. Rating: Must Try
SMWSA Cask No. G1.8 Grain 62.9% ABV Distilled December 1990 $145 US Allocation: 60 Bottles September 2012 Outturn Release
What the SMWSA Says: Lots of fruit on the early nose (pear flan, rhubarb, lemon curd, apricot) growing richer in the glass – soon we found marzipan, fudge, toffee, Bakewell tart, butterscotch, vanilla and straw. The palate was just as fruity but also sweet and nippy (some found it fiery) – like a bag of assorted boiled sweets. In reduction, the nose split between citric components and banana toffee – also some dustiness, like rubbing butter into flour. The palate opened and became cleaner and fresher, but evaporation from the tongue left rich joys of tobacco, liquorice and dark chocolate Bounty bars. From Edinburgh’s only grain distillery.
Drinking tip: A summertime dram – or maybe while making cakes.
What Richard Says: Nose: Rum soaked golden raisins, pears, fresh ginger, saltwater taffy, and heavy cream that’s sat out on the counter too long. Palate: Old pot coffee, navel oranges, liquorice, and old rubber. Finish: Water or no water….this is a hot finish with a little bit of charred coconut skins. Comments: Nose – yes. Everything else – not so much. I would probably send this one packing for the price. Irrespective of price it’s pleasant enough but nothing remarkable stands out. Although, you don’t see much North British bottled so if you can go splits with some folks on the bottle it is an interesting curiosity. Rating: Average Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.
