BOTM 10/11: Angel's Envy

[fishnbowljoe]

Thanks to Flyfish for the reminder about posting the BOTM, and thanks to Chuckles for the suggestion.

Back to another "newer" bourbon this month. Angels Envy.

It's been a while since I've had this, but I'll try and give my thoughts as best as I can from memory. Short description this time around. In a nutshell, light and sweet. A little nut flavor is apparent, but the main flavor I remember is a floral/fruitiness that is easy on the palate. A great bourbon to pour on a hot summer day, or if you don't feel the need for something heavy or high proof.

Let's here what you have to say. Cheers y'all. Joe

[cbus]

I enjoy this bourbon, and I like the fact that more bourbon producers are experimenting with different kinds of finishes. That said, for the price I paid for a bottle of this, I was hoping for/expecting more flavor.

[moose]

Its not a bad bourbon at all, but the $45+ price tag around these parts is a little bit too much in my opinion. I feel more time in the port casks would do it well. I found it to be just slightly sweet, pretty smooth and overall enjoyable. I agree that it would make a better summer sipper than a winter warmer. I would be interested to see what more time in port casks would do to it, would certainly gain a richer color and perhaps more sweetness that usually isn't found in a bourbon.

[Roadsaw]

What Joe said pretty much is what i think of it, except i didnt get any nut flavor with it. I enjoyed it and would buy it again.

[BourbonJoe]

I like this bourbon quite a bit, especially as a dessert bourbon after a satisfying meal.

Joe :usflag:

[BigRich]

I still haven't tried it. No sign of it in Georgia.

[jburlowski]

I like it but I really like the fact that my wife loves it. Because of AE, she's stopped drinking my Lot B!

[TomH]

Angel's Envy vats (I'm always reluctant to use the word blend because of negative connotations) port finished and non-port finished bourbon for their final release. It's the percentage used of each that determines the strength of the port finish. I've tasted the port finished at barrel strength and it has all the port you could possibly want. They have decided (probably for very valid marketing reasons) to release a milder port finish product. For myself, a agree with you that I would really enjoy a little (or even a lot) more port in the whiskey.

Its not a bad bourbon at all, but the $45+ price tag around these parts is a little bit too much in my opinion. I feel more time in the port casks would do it well. I found it to be just slightly sweet, pretty smooth and overall enjoyable. I agree that it would make a better summer sipper than a winter warmer. I would be interested to see what more time in port casks would do to it, would certainly gain a richer color and perhaps more sweetness that usually isn't found in a bourbon.

[Chuckles]

Thanks, Joe, for choosing Angel's Envy this month. As you know, I received a gift bottle a while back and was looking for an excuse to open it. So I did last night, and had a couple of pours, which went down easy in the summer-like evening here in Chicago, so I'll second your opinion of this as a nice summer sipper. I got a little sweet grape on the nose and tongue, and am not sure that I would want more of that. The bourbon behind the port finish seemed decent but not very complex. I tend to like my bourbon a bit older and at a higher proof. I do love the Angel's Envy finish, finding it lip-smacking good for several minutes after a taste. I smiled when I saw the (spoiler alert) logo and type "burned" into the cork, then wondered how much they were spending on the fancy bottle and the promotion and such. I love that master distiller Lincoln Henderson has the opportunity to cook up "expressions" like this, and look forward to his future endeavors. I'm glad I was able to enjoy this Angel's Envy (I had feared there might be a syrupy port sweetness that I would find distasteful), and I'm glad I received a bottle as a gift. Bottom line for me: It's good, but not great, and when I have $50 of my own to spend on a bottle, I'll be buying something else.

[White Dog]

I agree with most of you on this, and I think that Joe hit it on the head in the first post. More on the elegant side of things, and while there's nothing wrong with that, I feel it comes up a bit short on complexity. It was okay, but not compelling enough to buy again.

At Whisky Fest Chicago 2011, they had a higher proof version of AE that I tried. It was well into the tasting, and I had stopped taking notes at that point, but I do remember that one knocked me on my ass. Screaming good. Anyone know if that will be released at some point? Based on that bottling, it would seem to me that they released it at too low a proof.

Makes me wonder, could they sell more of a knock-out $75 cask strength bottling, rather than a so-so $50 bottling? Obviously they went the other way.

[Vosgar]

I like this bourbon quite a bit, especially as a dessert bourbon after a satisfying meal.

Joe :usflag:

I like this one quite a bit as well Joe, but hadn't thought of it as a dessert bourbon. What a great idea! I have a feeling my open bottle isn't going to last very long now.

Gary

[jburlowski]

... Makes me wonder, could they sell more of a knock-out $75 cask strength bottling, rather than a so-so $50 bottling? Obviously they went the other way.

They're supposed to be coming out with a barrel-strength version by year end.

[Bourbon Boiler]

They're supposed to be coming out with a barrel-strength version by year end.

I've not tried any version, but from what I've read I think this would get my attention.

[fishnbowljoe]

They're supposed to be coming out with a barrel-strength version by year end.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmm. :skep: I hope you're right John. Could be very interesting. Cheers! Joe

[jburlowski]

that's what Wes Henderson said a few months ago. Several folks here have sampled the BS version. I think it will happen... But the date may slip somewhat (depending on your location)

[TomH]

They're supposed to be coming out with a barrel-strength version by year end.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I was recently informed that the barrel strength release is being delayed until Mar/Apr 2012.

[Enoch]

Finally picked up a bottle of this while in Dallas. As I mentioned in an early post it cost me over $500 for the bottle. $50 for the bottle and $500 for the deductible for the fender bender I had in a rental car on the way back to the Fairmont. For the money there are bourbons I'd rather get as I found it light but with the sweetest finished I have experienced in a bourbon. I would love to try the barrel strength. Question: Do they plan on eventually producing their own bourbon or will they always buy stock?

[Bourbon Boiler]

Finally picked up a bottle of this while in Dallas. As I mentioned in an early post it cost me over $500 for the bottle. $50 for the bottle and $500 for the deductible for the fender bender I had in a rental car on the way back to the Fairmont. For the money there are bourbons I'd rather get as I found it light but with the sweetest finished I have experienced in a bourbon.

I'm not sure I've ever had something worth $550 / bottle, unless it was the size of a keg.

[Bourbon Boiler]

Question: Do they plan on eventually producing their own bourbon or will they always buy stock?

I read somewhere that the eventual plan was to prodcue, but I can't remember if I saw that here or elsewhere. I also don't know the timetable.

[K_Henderson]

Finally picked up a bottle of this while in Dallas. As I mentioned in an early post it cost me over $500 for the bottle. $50 for the bottle and $500 for the deductible for the fender bender I had in a rental car on the way back to the Fairmont. For the money there are bourbons I'd rather get as I found it light but with the sweetest finished I have experienced in a bourbon. I would love to try the barrel strength. Question: Do they plan on eventually producing their own bourbon or will they always buy stock?

We will be producing eventually, most likely starting sometime next year. As for locations, we will certainly be in Kentucky. Louisville would be ideal for us (main street), but there are some other locations on the table as well.

And if it sounds like I might have an "in", it's because I am the third generation Henderson! Long time reader, but recently joined the forums.

[White Dog]

We will be producing eventually, most likely starting sometime next year. As for locations, we will certainly be in Kentucky. Louisville would be ideal for us (main street), but there are some other locations on the table as well.

And if it sounds like I might have an "in", it's because I am the third generation Henderson! Long time reader, but recently joined the forums.

Thank you for responding. Any info on a cask strength release?

[K_Henderson]

Thank you for responding. Any info on a cask strength release?

Nothing official for the time being. We have some stuff that could possibly be used for it, sitting in port barrels for a year now, but we need to get more regular AE out the door first.

[White Dog]

Nothing official for the time being. We have some stuff that could possibly be used for it, sitting in port barrels for a year now, but we need to get more regular AE out the door first.

I've been refraining, but I must ask. Why do you feel the need to "get more regular AE out the door first?" Everyone at Whiskey Fest that I spoke to was loving the higher proof, but not the standard.

If you wow us first, you'll have our attention, but if you don't, and it would appear that you haven't based on the responses, then you lose us as steady customers. If you had released some cask strength, then the connoisseur's would be praising your efforts.

If you charge more for higher proof, you still keep your margins intact, so please explain your business plan as stated above. Sorry to be a pain, and I mean no disrespect, but I'm just trying to understand.

[K_Henderson]

I've been refraining, but I must ask. Why do you feel the need to "get more regular AE out the door first?" Everyone at Whiskey Fest that I spoke to was loving the higher proof, but not the standard.

If you wow us first, you'll have our attention, but if you don't, and it would appear that you haven't based on the responses, then you lose us as steady customers. If you had released some cask strength, then the connoisseur's would be praising your efforts.

If you charge more for higher proof, you still keep your margins intact, so please explain your business plan as stated above. Sorry to be a pain, and I mean no disrespect, but I'm just trying to understand.

We are trying to build a national brand, but currently are only available in 10ish states. As we continue to grow our demand for the standard product is exploding. And I would respectfully say that the greater majority of our responses have been wow's. While people who have tried the cask strength usually love it, from the various shows and tastings I've done, they still enjoy the standard.

[StraightNoChaser]

I haven't been particularly impressed any time I've tried AE. And at $40+ this is one bottle you won't find on my bar anytime soon.

I would pay $40-50 for a CS version.