While A Midwinter Night’s Dram (MWND) might be one of the most sought after whiskey releases that is finished with Port, it’s far from the only offerings on the market. The best part is, a fair number of them don’t cost anywhere near the exorbitant $130 a bottle that MWND commands. Now while they’re all not rye, that doesn’t mean they’re not reasonable bourbons for great prices. Amongst them is Angel’s Envy Bourbon which typically retails for under $50. So does it taste as good as the bottle looks?
Angel’s Envy Bourbon
- Age: No Age Statement (NAS)
- Proof: 86 (43% A.B.V.)
- Finishing: Port Wine Barrels
Sight: A pretty burnished hue.
Smell: Vanilla, bright fresh cherries, nuts, toffee, and figs all jump out at the start of the nose. More notes of raspberries and other red fruit join in with a slightly vinous quality. A touch of oak and baked, jammy berries with vanilla pastry creme follow up. A touch of hard cut oak runs through.
Sip: Red cherries and vinous notes mixed with oak come out at the start too. There’s a bit of sweetness and creamy vanilla that kick up, before being slathered in red plums and jammy raspberries. Touches of baking spice coming in to with just a hint of wood char.
Savor: The ending has a nice vanilla and berry finish. A bit of tobacco and toasty oak comes through as it ends.
Angel’s Envy Bourbon is dessert like in it’s flavors, and pleasantly mixed between fruit and vanilla. The lower proof keeps it easy to drink, but it doesn’t slouch either. The flavors are decently layered too, and each sip reveals a little more of the effects of finishing. The result is an enjoyable, port finished bourbon that’s easy on the palate any time, but especially after dinner.
In Cocktails
In a Manhattan the jammy sweetness and berry notes of both the Angel’s Envy Bourbon and the vermouth come to the forefront. The cherry notes really run the gamut from fresh to baked to dried. Caramel and vanilla notes come in with spice and cigar box, and give it another dimension with a light marshmallow char on the end. Overall, it’s a sweeter than average Manhattan, and it shows that the application of Angel’s Envy in other places may require some tempering to adjust for the sweetness.
In Review – Angel’s Envy Bourbon
Angel’s Envy Bourbon is polished and refined port wine finished bourbon. The flavors are clean, clear, and concise with a significant amount of both bourbon and port flavors. As a result, it works well in cocktails as well but may add some port wine notes that you might not want or expect them. Overall though, it is delicious and a bottle we recommend. While this bottle is a great offering to keep for guests after dinner, it might be a strange choice to be the only bourbon behind your home bar, so think of if as an expansion.