The Opener – Angel’s Envy crafted by the Louisville Distilling Company, Louisville, KY
As this is my first entry I figured some housekeeping is in order: Don’t expect typical tasting notes in this blog as 1. I’m not a sommelier and thus don’t know what I’m talking about getting pretentious with overblown descriptions and 2. Chances are you aren’t either so stating something like “it hints of candied cranberry with a dash of mint and spices” may be misleading. So is it like mashed up crasins? Which mint, peppermint, spearmint, ginger mint and how many of the 1000s of world spices are dashed? Bottom line I’ll only call out big picture impressions and leave the tasting notes to your palate (or the folks trained and gifted enough to decipher the subtleties of Tahitian vs. Mexican vanilla). Without further ado… let’s get the quest underway.
Again, number 1 is Angel’s Envy, a Kentucky Bourbon finished for 3-6 months in Portuguese Port casks prior to blending.
From the Marketer: “Mr. Henderson [Lincoln Henderson master distiller] describes his masterwork as "a warm spirit, lacking any hint of edginess, with ephemeral hints of port wine and a rich amber hue." Lincoln Henderson sought to create the best-tasting bourbon on the planet. In our humble opinion, he succeeded.” Brackets are mine
That is a very bold statement but “it ain’t bragging if you back it up”
Granted what you think of a drink is influenced by the atmosphere in which you imbibe thus I wasn’t sure Angel’s Envy was as good as I thought it was the first time I tasted it. My first pour of Angel’s Envy was at possibly the coolest place in the country, Yardbird in Miami. I considered NOT mentioning this place because I don’t want my oasis overcrowded the next time I’m in the neon pink, trash money hip hell of Miami, but I don’t want to start our 52 week relationship off by withholding good info. Yardbird was built for the locals that appreciate great food, and better drinks and in short it’s one of the best places I have had a drink IN THE WORLD. I digress as this is not a restaurant/bar blog but I felt the environment of Yardbird might have enhanced my opinion of Angel’s Envy, a bourbon I’ve been dying to try again.
In point of fact you can have your Angel’s Envy (rocks, which unless otherwise noted is how I take my drink) in a filthy alley and you’d still view Angel’s Envy as one of the best bourbons in the world. It has a fantastic true Kentucky bourbon flavor and is very smooth and easy drinking, bordering almost too easy drinking. Angel’s Envy is 86.6 proof but has less ‘burn’ than my standard of smooth and easy, 80 proof Basil Haydens. Don’t fear the Port wine on the label, it’s not like the bourbon flavor is overpowered by an after dinner wine, and as some of you may know a “good Port” has similarities to a good bourbon, in the case of Angel’s Envy I think the finishing takes an already subtle edge completely off the bourbon. Bottom line: I picked a premier Bourbon for my premier entry as the folks at Louisville Distilling may indeed have claim to “the best tasting bourbon in the world”. Angel’s Envy is excellent and will be in my bar.
Of course one can’t rightly say what is “the best tasting bourbon in the world” until they’ve had each and every thus my quest continues.
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