Lincoln Henderson is a whiskey legend. He worked for years at Brown-Forman on brands like Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, and Woodford Reserve. He was also an inaugural inductee into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. In 2004, Lincoln retired after 40 years at Brown-Forman. But he still had the itch that all greats do. So in 2006, he came out of retirement to work with his son Wes to create Angel’s Envy. Five years later in 2011, Angel’s Envy launched with great success which has continued with line expansions like the Rum Finished Rye Whiskey and Cask Strength Bourbon.
In 2013, their Lousiville operations opened and shortly thereafter Lincoln passed away at 75-years-old. Lincoln was a lover and student of bourbon, and you can taste that in everything Angel’s Envy does to this day. Their most recent experiment came with finishing bourbon in Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask.
Start shopping for bourbon clothing and accessories for your journey. The Bard’s Shop has custom tees and hoodies, books, barrels, and more.
Which Angel’s Envy Whiskey is better?
You may be asking, “Which Angel’s Envy Whiskey is better?” We’ve got you covered. Check out the comparison below:
Angel’s Envy Bourbon Finished in Port Casks
| AE Port Finished Bourbon | Details |
|---|---|
| In the Bottle | 87 Proof |
| ABV | 43.5% |
| Mashbill | 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley |
| Age | 4 to 6-years-old |
| Style | Port Finished Bourbon 60-Gallon French Oak Port Casks from Portugal Finished for 3 to 6 Months |
| Size | 750 mL |
| Suggested MSRP | $50 |
| Distillery | Angel's Envy Distillery 500 E Main St. Louisville, KY 40202 |
| Pros | Fantastic Nose |
| Cons | Thin on the Palate |
| Availability | National Distribution |
| Rating | Silver 87 out of 100 Points |
| Inventory | Great to Pair with Cigar in Summer |
Angel’s Envy Bourbon is handcrafted in batches of 8 to 12 barrels and aged for up to 6 years. The bourbon then spends three to six months in 60-gallon ruby port barrels made from French oak. Angel’s Envy finished bourbon does not have much in the way of legs or glass coverage. This viscosity carries over to the palate.
Nose – 92 out of 100 Points
The nose is dried cranberries with just hints of light caramel and tart fresh apples. I’m enjoying the nose.
Taste – 85 out of 100 Points
Just subtle white pepper on the side palate. Cream of wheat drizzled with maple syrup with berries and raisins through the middle of the palate. Pair this with a bold cigar and the flavor start to pop and the spice and sweetness intensifies.
Finish – 86 out of 100 Points
It’s a short to medium finish with the sweet and spice intermingling through the finish.
Verdict –Silver 87 out of 100 Points
I enjoy Angel’s Envy paired with a bold cigar — that’s where it sings for me. It’s also great as a nightcap after drinking higher proof bourbons.
Angel’s Envy Rye Finished in Rum Casks
| AE Rum Finished Rye | Details |
|---|---|
| In the Bottle | 100 Proof |
| ABV | 50% |
| Mashbill | 95% rye and 5% malted barley |
| Age | 6 to 7-years-old |
| Style | Finished 18 months in Caribbean rum casks |
| Size | 750 mL |
| Suggested MSRP | $80 |
| Pros | Dessert Whiskey, Creamy, and Decadent |
| Cons | Nitpicking, maybe more spice to balance sweet |
| Availability | National Distribution |
| Rating | Gold 95 out of 100 Points |
| Inventory | Keep Stocked through Fall and Winter |
Angel’s Envy Rye Whiskey spends 18 months in rum casks to create a complex finished whiskey.
Nose – 96 out of 100 Points
This nose is decadent, sweet holiday desserts. It’s toffee, roasted marshmallows drizzled with caramel. Orange zest. Gingerbread cookies fresh out of the oven. Fresh grade A maple syrup.
Taste – 95 out of 100 Points
The palate offers rye, cinnamon, and nutmeg upfront. It won’t let you forget it’s a rye finished whiskey. But the sweet notes come to the party. Gingerbread cookies drizzled in caramel. The palate is
Finish – 95 out of 100 Points
It’s not an overpowering finish but it lingers. Gingerbread cookies drizzled with caramel and rye spice.
Verdict – Gold 95 out of 100 Points
This score is high and certainly, this finished whiskey won’t be for everyone’s palate because it’s sweet. But I couldn’t get enough of this during a holiday tasting. It was the perfect pour to finish the night off with right after dessert.
Angel’s Envy Bourbon Finished in Japanese Mizunara Oak Casks
Mizunara oak is rare and hard to work with. It tends to leak for one, grows in knots for another, and is best used for casks after growing 200 years. But with patience and expertise, it offers flavors of “sandalwood, coconut, spice and Japanese incense” (Wine Enthusiast). Angel’s Envy is finished for an additional two years to extract maximum flavor from the new charred Mizunara oak casks.
Full Review Coming Soon
Angel’s Envy Bourbon Cask Strength Finished in Port Casks
Full Review Coming Soon
Angel’s Envy Bourbon Finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks (Cellar Collection 2019)
Full Review Coming Soon
Angel’s Envy Bourbon Finished in Tawny Port Wine Barrels (Cellar Collection 2020)
Full Review Coming Soon
Start shopping for bourbon clothing and accessories for your journey. The Bard’s Shop has custom tees and hoodies, books, barrels, and more.
Written by Matty Sims
Buy Bourbon Clothing
Popular Posts
Bourbon Release Calendar [2021]
Our bourbon release calendar covers the annual cadence of major limited releases as well as new labels approved by the TTB — making bourbon hunting easy again. You may be asking, "What bourbon is releasing this week?" Well, new bourbon release dates are not an exact science. Not all bourbon...
The 24 Best Bourbons Under $100 Ranked [2021]
The over $50 and under $100 bourbon whiskey category is where it gets interesting. There are some all-time great options available in this corner and many can be easily found. Some of my top choices include Booker’s bourbon and Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Proof (SBBP). Booker’s batches...
Every Smoke Wagon Bourbon Reviewed [2021]
Smoke Wagon Bourbon was founded by Aaron Chepenik and Jonathan Hensleigh in 2012 as part of Nevada H&C Distilling Co. They source their bourbon from Midwest Grain Products of Indiana (MGPI) using MGPI's 36% high rye bourbon mashbill. Chepenik was convinced you can develop a brand flavor...
Every Weller Bourbon Reviewed [2021]
You're here because you've been asking, "Which Weller bourbon is the best?" We've got you covered with reviews of every Weller plus a lot more. The first Weller who distilled whiskey was Daniel Weller, grandfather of William LaRue Weller. Daniel was a pioneer distillery in the 18th century in...
Booker’s Bourbon Batches | List of Booker’s Batches
Booker's bourbon batches are a barrel strength bourbon made by the Jim Beam distillery. It is uncut and unfiltered. It's generally aged 6 to 8 years with a proof upwards of 121. This is Booker Noe's bourbon, the famous master distiller of Jim Beam in the 80s. The brand was started by Booker Noe,...
0 Comments