whisky review

Angel’s Envy Rye Whiskey Review

I’ve been wanting to try Angel’s Envy Rye Whiskey for a while now.  Unfortunately, it’s not sold in the New Orleans area.  Thankfully, the folks at Ro-Bro Marketing & PR sent me a small sample.

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This rye whiskey is bottled in the same very attractive bottle as Angel’s Envy Bourbon.   The folks at Angel’s Envy are playing with finishing the whiskies in different barrels.  Where their bourbon is finished in port casks, this rye whiskey is aged at least 6 years then finished in Caribbean rum barrels that used to hold French cognac.  At the moment, they don’t distill their own whiskey so it’s all sourced.

Angel’s Envy Rye is 95% rye bottled at 100 proof.  You wouldn’t know it though.  I didn’t get any strong alcohol vapor from the glass that I do from another 95% rye – Bulleit Rye.  This one is dominated by sweetness, earthiness, and spice… in that order, both in it’s aromas and taste.   The sweetness comes from the rum.  I’ve never tasted a rye whiskey this sweet.  I know there’s rye in there though.  At 95% rye (and 5% barley), the earthiness comes through just fine, but the spiciness is toned down tremendously.  The finish on this is quick and sweet.

A bottle of Angel’s Envy Rye will run you about $70.  This is available in smaller quantities than their seemingly readily-available bourbon.  If you’re into rye whiskey, I’d suggest you give this a try.  It’s an interesting take on that type of whiskey.  This isn’t a traditional rye whiskey.  It’s great, but it’s different.  Now, if you’ve never tasted a rye whiskey, don’t let this be your gateway rye.

Sweet stuff.

8/10

Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey (2013) Review

As part of their annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Buffalo Trace releases two rye whiskies:  Thomas Handy Sazerac, a barrel strength version of their regular Sazerac release and Sazerac 18 Year Old.  Both George T Stagg and Sazerac 18 are considered by many the best of the collection.

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Normally a review of this whiskey happens in the fall when this is released, but  I happened to run across a bottle of this recently… and I’m sure glad I did.  This was distilled in the spring of 1985.  When it matured at 18 years, they stopped the aging process by storing the whiskey in stainless steel vats.  This process isn’t uncommon.  Sazerac 18 is also considerably rarer than George T Stagg – 27 barrels versus 157 barrels.  That’s a large variance.  I hear some stores only get 1-2 bottles each fall.

Enough jabbering – how is it?  In a word, refined.  I smell some toffee, a little citrus (orange peel)  and rye earthiness.  When I taste it, this 90 proof Sazerac 18 comes in sweet (fruit & honey) and coats your mouth.  Heck, I even get a tiny hint of chocolate here.  Now, don’t go expecting a Hershey Bar.  The rye spice builds up and tickles the tongue.  There’s also a little oak, but just enough to balance it.  The finish is sweet and slowly fades away.  There is nothing harsh about this whiskey.

Make no mistake, this is one outstanding whiskey.  It’s price tag is about $70, but you’ll probably find it marked up in stores. Is it worth the price? That depends on your budget and how much you enjoy rye whiskey. I’ll easily purchase another bottle IF I run across it again.

One of my new favorite whiskies.

9.5/10

Four Roses Bourbon Review

The Four Roses series ends with a review of their entry label, Four Roses Bourbon.  It’s referred to as their Yellow Label.  This can usually be found in the <$20 price range, and is available almost everywhere. (Thanks to the Baddish Group for the samples.)

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Usually, bourbons under $20 are rough around the edges.  This one not so much.  It is more refined than others I’ve tasted at the same price range.  Four Roses Yellow Label is a lighter style whiskey, like their Small Batch, just not as refined.  When it’s first poured, I get alcohol fumes, slight caramel and corn.  After 5 – 10 minutes the caramel smell really comes out.  Taste-wise, it’s just what I expected – a slightly less refined version of their small batch, which offers a little more complexity. This one, however, isn’t just one note –  Rye earthiness, caramel, corn, spiciness.  The finish is short and spicy with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

This is the only Four Roses label that contains a blend of all 10 of their bourbons.  The Small Batch is a blend of 4, and their Single Barrel is, well, one.    Four Roses Yellow Label is a great value at under $20.  I haven’t tried this one as a mixer because it’s darn good neat and on the rocks.

Cheap and tasty

8/10