Seven Years Of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength

By Richard Thomas

Started by father and son team of Lincoln and Wes Henderson, Angel’s Envy first came out in 2011, and immediately made a splash as the first high profile example of a bourbon whiskey finished in old Port pipes. That well-received release was followed the next year by the introduction of the company’s annual limited edition, Angel’s Envy Cask Strength. That barrel proof version has since gone on to become a fan favorite; every year enthusiasts drive hundreds of miles to Louisville just to get a crack at acquiring a bottle. The expression quickly established a place among the ardently sought bottles of bourbon that come out every autumn.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength starts with barrels of regular Angel’s Envy, which is mature, but not especially old at a maximum age of seven years. Angel’s Envy’s whiskeys are still sourced at the present time, as the distillery only began operations in 2016. Barrels that are especially well-suited to a prolonged period of secondary maturation in the Port casks are chosen, get that extra-long finish (usually about two years), and are then bottled uncut.

At The Whiskey Reviewer, we’ve been fortunate enough to sample Angel’s Envy Cask Strength from the start (although in one instance, we were unable to write a review). As an uncut bourbon drawn from specially select, each batch is somewhat different from the releases that came before it, in much the same way that two bottles of a single barrel whiskey can be a little different. Looking at the whole of the past seven years gives a clear picture of what to expect from this expression in the future, as well as telling collectors what past bottles they should be looking for.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2012: Perhaps it was because it was the first release in the series, and really the first bourbon of its kind, but the inaugural release was something special. Only 600 bottles of 121 proof bourbon were released at the time, priced at $149. It established what the expression was all about very well: flavorful and quite bold, but not so much as to smother the complex interplay between the native bourbon and the Port finish. This was the release that was named “Best Spirit In The World” in the 2013 Spirit Journal.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2013: This second batch was the last product overseen by Lincoln Henderson, and released shortly after his death. It was as well-received as the 2012 first installment, if not somewhat more so, and came out at 123 proof.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2014: This third take on the expression came in at 119.3 proof, the lowest the series has yet seen, and that might explain how it turned out. Although still marvelous, it didn’t have quite the same robust character as its predecessors. Another factor might have been that the batch was over 10 times the size of the original, at 6,500 bottles. It’s a good guess that the honey barrels used to make it weren’t quite so honeyed by this time.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2015: The numbers went up for this version, way up for one category. The yield was increased to 7,500 bottles, while the proof surged to the highest level yet: 127 proof. This made it the strongest version to date. In my opinion, the 2015 release was also the least Port-influenced the series as seen thus far; except for a few modest notes, it was quite close to what I would expect the root bourbon to have been if bottled at cask strength.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2016: This installment came in at 124.6 proof, and the expression would hover right around that level for (at least) the next few years. This was also the installment that took a substantial dip in quality terms, at least in my opinion, being the first time I thought it nosed and tasted a bit hot. The yield increased only slightly, to 8,000. Much to the credit of Angel’s Envy, the price point was not much higher than when the label was first introduced, at $159.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2017: This was the year that fans had something to rejoice about, as the yield increased markedly to 10,000 bottles. This was also the first expression after Wes Henderson began reducing the time spent in secondary maturation, down to about two years, citing concerns that the Port pipe finish was overwhelming the bourbon’s flavor profile. The bottling came through at 124.5 proof. Despite the 20% increase in yield, this expression returned to the level of quality seen in the 2013 release. While not the best ever, it was definitely tied for second place. Unfortunately, this came with a price increase to $200.

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 2018: Last year’s installment was 124 proof and only a hair below the 2017 and 2013 releases. The yield increased to 12,000 bottles, and Angel’s Envy instituted an online reservations system for members of their fan club, so some individuals could come to the distillery and pick up a bottle at retail price on release day without having to camp out or wait in line. The official asking price was $200; it’s still available with online retailers for between $300 and $700.