Whiskey Tasting: Angel's Envy Finished Rye

Today is the second and final rye from my guided tasting. It is, once again, not a plain rye, it's a finished rye whiskey. Both rye whiskeys were very good, and I don't regret having them as part of the tasting, but I do wish I'd have picked one that was just-a-rye. Ah, well.

Whiskey Tasting: Angel's Envy Finished Rye

The distillery

Angel's Envy is a new-ish distillery in Louisville, KY that was started in 2013 and probably started, or at least popularized, the trend of novel finishes to bourbons with their flagship product that finished bourbon in port casks. Started by the former master distiller of Brown-Forman, Lincoln Henderson, who developed Woodford Reserve, Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. The distillery is now run by his son and grandson.

The whiskey

More stock imagery! Gaze upon it.

This rye is finished for "up to 18 months" in Plantation XO casks which were used originally to age cognac as well. It's bottled at 100 proof, so it'll be a little hot. The Angel's Envy website offers some good tasting notes, but no mashbill. Here's what they say:

 1Appearance
 2Crystal clear quality with a rich, reddish amber color
 3
 4Nose
 5Aromas of citrus, caramel candy, maple sugar, vanilla, oak, hazelnut, spice, and sherry wood
 6
 7PALATE
 8Sweet rum, sherry wood, and soft oak
 9
10FINISH
11Both sweet and dry, as well as quick and easy

Look

It is, in fact, clear and bright and reddish. I'd put it on par with a mid-honey color with rose-gold highlights. It swirls to thick sheets that resist running for a looooong time.

Nose

There is citrus, maple syrup, caramel, vanilla, oak, and at the very back, yes, there's some sherry. I'm not sure if that's the same as sherry wood. So far the notes provided are spot on. Only slightly embellished, which I consider a win from a corporate source.

Taste

This is a really sweet whiskey. It tastes really strong of brown sugar from the rum, right up front, also just a little citrusy brightness from the high proof. The middle fills out with alcohol bloom and peppery rye. The finish is long and spicy with strong brown sugar overtones. There's a little touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, an vanilla floating through all of it. It's like an excellent aged rum and an excellent rye mingled very carefully together and perfectly balanced.

That said, this is a very sweet whiskey. I use it to make old fashioneds with no extra sugar, it's that sweet. If you're familiar with rum, it's a similar level of sweetness to an aged rum.

After water

A little water brings out some darker fruits to play with the maple syrup in our nose. Other than that, the nose is basically the same, very consistent.

Similar the palate is mostly the same, but we get a little bit of dark/dried fruit hanging out in the middle. Maybe some dates or dried cherries, or both!

Summary

I love this whiskey. It's quite expensive, but I would buy this just to make Old Fashioneds with. It takes to a wide variety of bitters, already has some citrus and cherry notes to it. Handles chocolate bitters like a champ. Is sweet with brown sugar and maple tones. It's fantastic. A really outstanding whiskey that you have to try if my notes make it sound at all appealing.