Bacardi buys Angel's Envy

[Josh]

According to Shanken News Daily, Bacardi has purchased AE: http://www.shankennewsdaily.com/index.php/2015/03/30/12038/bacardi-enters-bourbon-category-with-angels-envy-acquisition/#more-12038

Under the deal, Angel’s Envy will continue as a standalone operation, with its business structure, employee base, production, distribution, commercial and marketing activities unchanged. Angel’s Envy told SND a year ago that it was in 32 markets, with full national distribution expected within a year or so. The brand’s sales are currently estimated at under 50,000 cases.

I'm looking forward to some really tasteless Angel-themed advertising in the near future.

(Thanks to SKU for the tweeting the news)

[CaskStrength77]

Rum barrel finished AECS coming in the near future?

[ramblinman]

fingers crossed that this brings down the price just due to economics of scale.

I don't want to see every other bourbon on the shelf "finished" like things are in the scotch world, but I think AE did it very well and gives an interesting offering in the market.

[DonutsNBourbon]

fingers crossed that this brings down the price just due to economics of scale.

I don't want to see every other bourbon on the shelf "finished" like things are in the scotch world, but I think AE did it very well and gives an interesting offering in the market.

I agree wholeheartedly with this... I love AE. it was one of the first bourbon's that I've tried. but yes, it is a bit on the expensive side, as you can find it for $45 around here, where I think it'd be a better buy at $35.

[squire]

I wish the Hendersons well and hope they retain an active role in the new distillery.

[Richnimrod]

I wish the Hendersons well and hope they retain an active role in the new distillery.

I second that thought. They were, and I hope will continue to, do it well; and always seemed to me to be forthright about what they were doing

I also agree with the earlier comment about the pricing. Hoping it will come more into line with what I think it's worth, although, being in somewhat of a narrow niche, that may never happen, as long as the product continues to gather a market at the current price.

[TunnelTiger]

To me both the bourbon and rye are ok just not outstanding especially at me local price of $79.99.

[Pjcowboy]

I would not bet on AE going down in price. This is Bacardi's entry into premium bourbon shelf space.

[DonutsNBourbon]

yea, I liked the Rye, but thought it was completely overpriced at $79. I still see it on shelves here and there. I did buy a bottle though, and while I do like it, I can't justify buying another bottle at that price.

I also did buy a cask strength at $160 and I kind of regret buying it for that much. I haven't even opened it yet because of how expensive it was... I need to save it for a special occasion! I did go to their cask strength event with the wife, and we enjoyed ourselves, but I don't think that event helps to justify the cost of the bottle. I know, I bought into the hype...

[The Black Tot]

Have yet to buy my first bottle of AE. Not convinced the value is there.

This association doesn't help open my wallet. Bacardi isn't really the best friend of any rum lover.

[garbanzobean]

Have yet to buy my first bottle of AE. Not convinced the value is there.

This association doesn't help open my wallet. Bacardi isn't really the best friend of any rum lover.

I'd like to try someone else's bottle, but I don't see myself buying any. Though I will admit that I considered it after enjoying the port finished Midwinter Night's Dram so much. Then I decided I'd rather save my money for act 3 this fall. Probably the only "LE" I'll get my hands on this fall . . .

[mbroo5880i]

I know people who love Angel's Envy and I know people who hate it. I really like it. I know that Wes Henderson is a member of the forum and his grandfather was pretty well respected in the business. I wish them well and hope this helps expand the brand.

[amg]

Maybe the cash infusion will lead to some interesting ine extensions.

[DonutsNBourbon]

luckily for me, some of the stores around Chicago had it available to taste before buying. The salesman offered it for me to taste when I was first getting into bourbon and that was the only reason I bought a bottle. I might not have tried it until much later had I not been offered the tasting at the store.

[fozzy71]

Maybe the cash infusion will lead to some interesting ine extensions.

[Vosgar]

I've got a couple of private selections that are very, very good so I hope that program doesn't go away. Custom blended by the store owners, tasty as hell and around $40 works for me.

[fozzy71]

I've got a couple of private selections that are very, very good so I hope that program doesn't go away. Custom blended by the store owners, tasty as hell and around $40 works for me.

[squire]

Makers 46 was developed while under Beam ownership at a time when Beam was deemphasizing use of the term Straight. I believe the thinking was Straight was a somewhat dated designation that no longer resounded with modern consumers.

In the 200 year history of distilling in Kentucky the requirement that Straight Bourbon be aged in new charred oak barrels is a relatively recent concept which only became law in 1938. Not to make the whisky better either, rather it was the result of lobbying efforts by timber interests to help pull their industry out of the doldrums of economic depression in the 1930s. Frankly, I think some Straights such as Rye might benefit more by being aged in toasted rather than charred barrels.

Be that as it may I'm of the school that once a Straight it continues to be a Straight irrespective of how finished.

[Harry in WashDC]

Off thread: Holy Moly, Squire - rye from barrels toasted instead of charred. Think of that mint/grass coming from a toasted barrel. THAT's an experiment I'd stand in line for. Catoctin Creek - do you have a barrel and some distillate you can play with?

Now, re: AE (about $42 here in WDC) - While a value purchaser might find it expensive, my wife and I have found it worth keeping around. She likes it by itself even though she finds some of my favorites a bit hot, eclectic, harsh, rough, etc. We agree that it is a wonderful, versatile, basic spirit in cocktails of all sorts.

[flahute]

All you guys whose palates I've come to trust.....would you just stop with this AE praise already? Daggonit. I had a bottle of this early in my journey and loved it......for a while. Then I came to be less impressed with it as I expanded my experience. Haven't gone back to it since then. I currently have a bottle of the Cask Strength and can't even drink the stuff because the port finish is so strong......sighhhhh.......don't make me buy another bottle of this.

[Harry in WashDC]

COCKTAILS, flahute. Of course, the basic AE is 86.6 proof so treat it like you'd treat EWB in a cocktail, and if you're using a cask strength, adjust proportions accordingly. The one adjustment we've made is - because of the port finish, it works better with less acidic fruits and mixers. SO, stay away from lemons, limes, and some oranges. Valencia and Mandarin oranges are ok as are Clementines, tangerines, mangos, guavas, peaches and any of the comparable Goya fruit nectars (which work better than "juices" if you don't have/don't want to use fresh fruit). Skip the simple syrup, too. This past weekend, we did a bourbon/apricot nectar (but not AE) cocktail. If we'd had the AE close by, we'd have used it.

I wonder if Bacardi is going to put neck booklet recipes on AE bottles now?

[DBM]

All you guys whose palates I've come to trust.....would you just stop with this AE praise already? Daggonit. I had a bottle of this early in my journey and loved it......for a while. Then I came to be less impressed with it as I expanded my experience. Haven't gone back to it since then. I currently have a bottle of the Cask Strength and can't even drink the stuff because the port finish is so strong......sighhhhh.......don't make me buy another bottle of this.

I've got both the bourbon and rye opened, come on over. Both tasty to me.

[koRn]

I've always enjoyed the bottles I've had.

[wadewood]

A quick question for you guys: How come Angel's Envy can call itself a straight bourbon, yet Maker's 46 can only call itself bourbon? They're both using a finishing technique that sets them apart from the standard process for straight bourbon. Does the finishing with port casks versus French oak staves differentiation really warrant separate classifications?

While Straight Bourbon may be on the AE label, the TTB classifies AE Bourbon (and rye) as class type 641. Makers 46 is class type 141.

641 is Whiskey Specialties and is considered DSS, Distilled Specialty Spirits. All kinds of different rules apply to this class type.

141 is Bourbon Whiskey.

[Paddy]

Dear Steve,

I 'like' Angel's Envy. It's a nice pour (both bourbon and rye), but there are too many other pretty girls in school for me to make her a steady.

Given the price of admission, It's just too low proof, smooth and soft to pay for the finishing when comparing it to others. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'd rather have a standard house profile and then do the dolling up, if any, myself. :grin::grin:

I also prefer barn yard over ginger bread in my rye's!

I do wish them the best with their new partners.

Hope this helps,

Paddy