Bourbon

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels
2015 Release
63.45% ABV
$169.99
Website

What the Bottler Says:
Ranked the “Best Spirit in the World” by Spirit Journal, Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels is unlike any whiskey you’ve ever tried. Angel’s Envy is releasing fewer than 8,000 bottles of our award winning Cask Strength this year, so don’t miss your chance to pick up a bottle or two of this rare and delicious spirit.

Perfection is a patient man’s game. So we waited until Angel’s Envy reached the perfect level of maturity. We judge only a handful of barrels exceptional enough for our lengthy finishing process. The result? Even at 127.9 proof—our highest ever—every sip is worth savoring. A remarkably complex and unfiltered spirit, we suggest you enjoy it neat or with just a splash of water to release the flavor nuances, and perhaps with a few friends who appreciate outstanding whiskey. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength was worth waiting for, not it’s worth sharing.

Appearance: Rich gold with an amber depth.
Nose: Heavy caramel with vanilla up front, followed by roasted almonds, orange peel citrus and faint blueberry.
Palate: Pound cake, root beer, candy corn, honey, then tart strawberries, blackberries, figs, slight black pepper on the finish.
Finish: Less port forward than previous years, but while the port finish is distinct, the bourbon itself shines through the finish.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Comfy leather chair (where someone had smoked a pipe with vanilla tobacco the night before), rich fermented fruit (peaches, plums), bit of maple syrup.
Palate: Delicious – warm (maybe a tad hot?), nice port sweetness but with some kick, dark rich cherries, apricot jam on toast, hints of toffee and caramel.
Finish: Moderate to long, lingers nicely before drying out.
Comments: I’m a fan of the cask strength offering for sure. I think if you like Angel’s Envy, this is more than that at cask strength – I get a bit more port influence. It takes water rather well, and is one of those pours I could sip and think about for a long time, or just sit back and savor mindlessly. If it were priced at around half of what it is (which would put it on par with other limited editions, like Four Roses Small Back LEs, or Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection), I’d be a customer. At the current price point – while I really like drinking it – there are other options I’d go for.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: The rich savoriness of fortified wine overlays the burnt sugar and vanilla notes of the bourbon.
Palate: Angel’s Envy kicked up times 10. Dark fruit, sweet and savory candies, with hints of allspice and cloves. Vanilla lays over the whole thing in a lovely well balanced way.
Finish: Even at cask strength this finishes easy. With a little water the port notes play with the peppery spice and make this really enjoyable.
Comments: Elijah Craig 12 Year: $30 to $35. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof: $50 to $55. With Eagle Rare to Stagg Jr. you see about the same thing. I enjoy Angel’s Envy and I think the cask strength releases are great but damn they want to charge too much. Instead of a modest increase for the cask strength version they charge about 3 1/2 to 4 times the price. That’s just silly to me. This is stellar $75 bottle of bourbon. Nearing $200 I can’t recommend buying it. But hey, somebody will buy it.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank Angel’s Envy for sending over a sample for review.

1792 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels
44.45% ABV
$40
Website

What the Distiller Says:
The marriage of expertly crafted bourbon whiskey and port wine barrels join together to create this distinct bourbon. 1792 Port Finish Bourbon delivers an elegant flavor profile like no other. This bourbon was aged for many years in new white oak barrels before spending another two years extracting the subtle, yet sweet flavors from port wine barrels. The rich vanilla characters of American oak mingle with the delicate fruit notes from port to create this magnificent whiskey.

Tasting Notes
A rich aroma of apple and fruit mingling with noticeable vanilla. The taste is soft, yet balanced. Filled with toasted caramel, jam-like fruit, and a touch of licorice. A clean, somewhat lingering finish completes the taste.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Port-prominent; rich and heavy stewed fruit sweetness.
Palate: Dark flavor with port-sweetness dominating the bourbon a bit; the rye spice speaks up near the end.
Finish: Lingers nicely.
Comments: If you like port and port-finished whiskies, I think you will probably enjoy this. On my first tasting, I thought it was a nice balance between the bourbon and port influence – but on later tastings; I found the port influence a bit heavier than I prefer. I’d love to see this with a bit less port with more of the bourbon spice showing up, but I still applaud Barton for trying some new things. Priced just below (at least here in Atlanta) Angel’s Envy – a similar port-finished bourbon – it might be the least expensive way to find out if you like port finished bourbon – but I would recommend finding this on premise to try first.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Heavy port forward nose with lots of dark jammy fruits.
Palate: The port is really heavy handed on the palate. It kind of beats the Barton bourbon down into submission. It’s really more like a high octane port than a bourbon.
Finish: Slow transition from sweet port to a slightly spicy bourbon.
Comments: Bad? No, if like you port then this is a very tasty drink. I think the two years in port barrels was too much and the port is overly dominant. You don’t have the same nice interplay as Angel’s Envy, Midwinter Night’s Dram, or a nice port finished scotch. Personally, I really like port so I find this enjoyable but if you don’t like port you aren’t going to like this.
Rating: Stands Out