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Angel’s Envy 2017 Cask Strength

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon whiskey Finished in Port Barrels
2017 Release
62.25% ABV
$180
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 124.6 proof, 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, now it’s worth sharing.

APPEARANCE Rich gold with an amber depth
NOSE Rose petals, dense fruitcake, fresh strawberries, cracked black peppercorns, clove
PALATE Caramel coffee, dried fig, aged tobacco, toasted sourdough bread
FINISH Rich and buttery, add water to soothe the burn and let the finish linger

What Gary Says
Nose: Rich, smokey sweet barbecue sauce, oaky with some sherry and stewed dark fruit, and subtle baking spices.
Palate: Luscious sweet fruit with sharp oak and pepper spice.
Finish: Moderately long and wet.
Comments: This has a really nice nose, as the previous year’s releases have – but the palate for me was only “pretty good”. Not as balanced and integrated as past releases – which isn’t to say that this isn’t good (just not “as good”). This is usually a “Must Try” for me, but this year isn’t quite there.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says
Nose: Burnt caramel, fig pudding, and a wisp of campfire smoke. Water opens up more spices like clove, allspice, cinnamon, and a pinch of anise.
Palate: Light roasted coffee beans, Dominican cigars, and dulce de leche. Water opens up a slightly bitter note and some pleasant canned cherry pie filling flavors.
Finish: The finish is heavy on oak and very drying.
Comments: Over the last several years I haven’t seen much movement in the spirit released each year as Angel’s Envy’s cask strength bottles. It was consistently a very good but very expensive bottle of whiskey. This year’s release seems off to me. The wood dominates much more heavily than previous releases and you have to work to pull out the subtle aspects of the whiskey. It is not nearly as well balanced. Also, given the every growing price point I’m finding it difficult to recommend this year’s release. Without any insight into the cask strength composition, this feels like stocks getting released at progressively older ages and then this year it has gone a year too far.
Rating: Average

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

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Basil Hayden’s Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Basil Hayden’s Rye Whiskey
40% ABV
$50
Website

What the Distillery Says
To produce this very special batch of Basil Hayden’s Rye we employed a long known but rarely used “re-barreling” technique.

We start by aging a traditional rye four years, then transfer it to newly charred quarter cask barrels to age an additional seven years. The smaller barrels create more contact with the oak and allows more air to breathe into the cask. The result is an incredibly deep flavor.

It’s not easy or quick, but blending just a small amount of this “re-barreled” liquid into our Rye Whiskey amplifies its natural characteristics and creates a profile that shines in any serve. Find a few friends and try it for yourself. Then be sure to let us know what you think.

AROMA Warm baking spices, caramel, hints of wood and rye spice
TASTE Charred oak complimented by sweet brown sugar, touch of black pepper and dried fruit
FINISH Smoke and char notes wrapped in caramel

What Gary Says
Nose: Soft lemongrass with muted fruit and spice; bright along with some vegetal notes I can’t quite nail down; hint of pickles. All quite subtle – nothing aggressive about this nose.
Palate: Sweet entry that builds to an edge – but never quite sharp; slight spice kick near the end; crème brulee w/ orange zest toasted on top, hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon and clove.
Finish: Moderately long and lingering, with pepper notes as it trails off.
Comments: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before . . . “Nice, but I wish it were higher proof . . . “ I’ll work on a different way to say that, but it holds true here. This is incredibly drinkable right from the bottle (and I was surprised that a couple drops of water opened it up further). It is softer and more refined than most rye, which makes it interesting in my book. While nothing off about this dram, it lacks anything that inspires me enough to go buy one. Basil Hayden has always been an oddity to me, as it is uncharacteristically soft in my opinion for a high-rye bourbon. This very much fits the brand profile. If you’re a big Basil Hayden bourbon fan, this might be right up your alley. If you’ve found Basil Hayden bourbon to be “too refined/smooth/soft” and are a rye whiskey fan – I’d definitely try this before buying a bottle.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says
Nose: A very delicate fruitiness and orange blossom honey peek around the corners but the nose is almost not there.
Palate: More of a honey sweetness with a pinch of cinnamon but overall it is extremely bland.
Finish: The finish has just a bit peppery spice kicking in.
Comments: I can’t say that this impressed me. For a rye, especially a $50 rye, it is very uninspiring. As Gary said, fans of Basil Hayden’s Bourbon might like it but I can’t really recommend it to the masses.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Jim Beam for sending us a sample to review.

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James E. Pepper Barrel Proof Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

James E. Pepper 1776 Straight Rye Barrel Proof
57.3% ABV
$35
Website

What the Bottler Says
* 114.6 Proof – Not Chill-Filtered – Over 90% Rye in the Mash Bill
* Full Flavored; deep notes of mint, spice, cloves, eucalyptus, chocolate, & honey
* The same exact whiskey as in the standard award winning 100 proof version, only straight from the barrel

What Gary Says
Nose: Hit of alcohol, sharp, bright, crisp, brash; unmistakably young rye with notes of citrus (lemon, orange; a hint of pineapple) and pickle juice.
Palate: Sharp entry, fresh orange zest and pepper spice, subtle sweetness with a hint of caramel.
Finish: Short and drying, with pepper notes lingering.
Comments: I was/am a fan of the James E. Pepper Straight Rye offering, which is this same whiskey but at 100 proof (and $10 or more less a bottle). For the extra dough, this adds 14 proof points – which normally I would celebrate, but I was underwhelmed. As a no-age-statement straight rye, I assume it is at least 2 yrs old, and likely not many days beyond that. I try to align my expectations accordingly, and wasn’t expecting complexity. I did find that with some water, I enjoyed this more – which left me thinking “Why not just by the 100 proof offering?” The water tamps down the rough edges a bit and lets the sweetness shine through on the palate, and the pickle juice become more prominent on the nose. Nothing off-putting about this for me, but nothing motivating me to buy another bottle either. If you’ve never had either of their ryes, I’d recommend trying the 100 proof bottling first – and only if you’re really happy with that, look to give this a spin.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says
Nose: Lemon zest, orange peel, grassy, and a bit of vanilla.
Palate: Orange blossom honey, vanilla cream, and a big blast of spearmint.
Finish: The mint lingers a bit but everything else is gone quick leaving a mildly unpleasant bitterness.
Comments: Meh. There is really nothing about this rye that makes it stand out. It’s not bad but it’s pretty plain. Try this at a bar if you are interested but I would grab a bottle of Rittenhouse bottled in bond for ten bucks less.
Rating: Average

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Traverse City XXX Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Traverse City XXX Straight Bourbon Whiskey
43% ABV
$35
Website

What the Distillery Says
MASH: CORN, RYE, MALTED BARLEY

Amber and elegant, our XXX Straight Bourbon Whiskey has been aged at least four years in new American white oak barrels. With warm vanilla and a little heat, this is your go-to whiskey for all occasions. Perfect for sipping, it still holds its own in your much deserved craft cocktail.

What Gary Says
Nose: Vanilla pudding with a hint of cinnamon and a layer of corn with musty/soft oak; a slight edge/bite; on the young side.
Palate: Thin mouthfeel with sweet corn, cinnamon, vanilla custard with some caramel; a touch of sour oak with a slight pepper note at the end.
Finish: Short to moderate in length and mellow while drying.
Comments: Growing up in Michigan, I was really excited to try this. While I found nothing off-putting about this straight bourbon (which is at least 4 yrs old), I also didn’t find anything exciting or special. Each time I tried it, I walked away uninspired and reminded of young, craft whiskey. I didn’t pass the “would I prefer this over Evan Williams Black Label” test – even if priced the same (which they’re far from). Don’t get me wrong – this hits all the right notes for a straight bourbon with the vanilla and caramel. I suspect that the impression of being “young” is a function of being aged in northern Michigan compared to Kentucky.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says
Nose: The nose is predominated by malty corn notes. Not dissimilar from younger (4-6 year old) Heaven Hill bourbons.
Palate: Corn pudding and vanilla cream sweetness. The youth of the taste comes from it being more corn forward as a bourbon than any deficiency or harshness in the product. Nice for a young bourbon.
Finish: The finish is mellow and clean.
Comments: [A quick note on the bottle that we reviewed. The current release featured on Traverse City’s website is a four or more year old XXX Bourbon but the bottle we got and reviewed is labeled as a two or more year old XXX Bourbon.] I’m a bit gun shy on new “craft” bourbons because they are always overpriced and typically pretty awful. In opposition to that, Traverse City seems to be doing it right. It’s still pricey at $35 for a young bourbon but that is much more reasonable than like products. The quality of the product is pretty top notch too. It’s young but in a corn forward way. It’s not harsh or rough at all. I hope they are laying down stocks for older versions because I would really like to try this again in a 6 or preferably 8 year old version.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Company for sending us a bottle to review.

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Rabbit Hole Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Rabbit Hole Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
47.5% ABV
$50
Website

What the Distiller Says
Bourbon is an act of faith. The barrel builds a strong foundation of vanilla and wood. Atop that, we bet on an unorthodox, four-grain mash promising spice and honey and a fresh apple breeze. When we first poked the thief into the darkness of the barrel, our faith was rewarded: a whiskey of remarkable maturity and self-possession, with spice on the front and custard in the finish.

Mash Bill:
70% Corn
10% Malted Wheat
10% Honey Malted Barley
10% Malted Barley

What Gary Says
Nose: Young, corn sweet with sour oak and a hint of cinnamon.
Palate: Sweet entry – caramel, vanilla, corn syrup – with a bit of a spike kick at the end.
Finish: Short and drying.
Comments: I wasn’t familiar with Rabbit Hole when I first tasted it. On my initial nosing, I have to admit I wrote it off as another craft whiskey producer using small barrels – as it smelled young, but more oak influence than you’d expect (a combination I often find as a tell-tale sign that small barrels were used). That isn’t the case – they verified that they are using 53 gallon barrels (although they are done to a lower char than some others, and are wood fired). On the palate, it hits me much better delivering the quintessential “bourbon” highlights of caramel, vanilla and a bit of a kick. While still young, it fares better on the palate than on the nose. When I’m evaluating a new, typically young (craft) bourbon – I ask myself “Do I like this better than Evan Williams Black Label?” (and yes, I talk to myself – the whiskey is strictly medicinal). For almost all new/craft bourbon, I find the answer is “Nope”. Rabbit Hole is definitely a step up, as I’m not quite sure the answer is no (although not a clear “Yes!” either). While better than most new stuff in that regards, I couldn’t justify shelling out the money for this. I do think this has the potential to be really tasty down the road, and will keep an eye out on future releases. But for $50 – I’d be pretty disappointed, and don’t expect offerings with more age to be priced more reasonably. Although I would love to be disappointed on that note in the future!
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says
Nose: There is a general lightness to the nose more reminiscent of grain alcohol than a bourbon.
Palate: It comes forward very aggressively with black pepper, cinnamon, corn pudding, and malted milk balls.
Finish: Hot. More pepper, oak, and general heat.
Comments: The youth of the spirit shows in the aggressiveness of it. However, hot and peppery flavors and finishes are not exclusive to the young. The lack of depth in the nose really shows that this needs more time in the barrel.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Rabbit Hole for providing us with a sample for review.

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