A friend recently offered to share a pour (or two) of some bourbons that were in his collection that weren’t gracing my display. Angel’s Envy was one of those. I confess that I’ve seen this one often, but it’s not always one I reach for. After this experience, maybe I should grab one when I’m out next time.
All in the family
Lincoln Henderson had accomplished much in his time as Master Distiller at Brown-Forman, including creation of Woodford Reserve, Gentleman Jack, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. He came out of retirement to help his son, Wes, on a bourbon finished in Port wine barrels. While Lincoln had the idea for years, he’d never had the opportunity to fully explore the notion. A third generation – Wes’s son Kyle, and later Andrew – joined the family business to launch an innovative twist on bourbon.
Utilizing sourced bourbon, Angel’s Envy was introduced in 2010. The source(s) of the bourbon remain undisclosed, but it is rumored the product utilizes bourbons aged from 4-7 years which are then finished in port casks for an additional 3-6 months. While Lincoln passed away in 2013, his innovative spirit lives on at Angel’s Envy.
The Tasting
This comes in a tall, curved bottle graced with etchings of angels’ wings. Angel’s Envy is made from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. The bottle carries no age statement but does indicate it is bottled at 86.6 proof.
Eye: Amber copper with long, supple legs gracing a Glencairn glass.
Nose: Vanilla and ripened fruit. I caught notes of peach, apple, plum and faint whiff of light cherry notes.
Palate: Sweet with vanilla and brown sugar, followed by more summer fruits and spice. It definitely picked up some lovely grape-like notes from the Port casks.
Finish: Medium in length with a dry oak-laced, fruity finish.
Overall: Angel’s Envy carries a retail price around $46 – $50. Overall, this is quite tasty. The vanilla and fruit notes remind me a little of Maker’s 46, though the Angel’s Envy, I feel, carries fruit notes on the front of the palate, with vanilla taking a bit of a backseat. This is a nice bourbon to add to the cabinet as a change of pace from the more typical vanilla-caramel notes.