The Louisville Distilling Company, the maker of Angel’s Envy, was co-founded by Wes Henderson and his father, Lincoln Henderson. Before his death in 2013, Lincoln worked on selecting and blending whiskeys for Angel’s Envy. In 2015, Angel’s Envy was acquired by Bacardi Limited. Later in 2016, Angel’s Envy opened its distillery in downtown Louisville. Although Angel’s Envy distills itself, the company still sources some of its whiskey. Today, Angel’s Envy remains a family business to some extent, as Kyle and Connor Henderson continue to serve as production manager and senior warehouse and processing operator for warehousing and storage, respectively.
Angel’s Envy Whisky first appeared in 2011. The company offered Bourbon aged in port wine barrels followed by Rye Finished in Rum Casks in 2013, both of which remain important parts of the brand’s portfolio. Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels is released annually and Angel’s Envy has launched a range of one-off limited edition whiskies, all matured in casks that have previously held a variety of spirits, including Port, Tawny, Ice Cider, Madeira, Sherry and Mizunara.
Angel’s Envy Rye is a high rye whiskey that is aged for up to 18 months in Caribbean XO rum casks. It is blended in small batches identified on the label by a batch number and bottle number. The bottle discussed here is from batch #21R, bottle number 1334.
This is an updated review of Ready-made rye bread from Angel’s Envywhich we originally tested in 2015.
Many sweet scents make up the whiskey’s dessert-like aroma. Maple candy, gingerbread, brown sugar, and sticky buns are combined with a light dash of rye spice and white pepper. The sweet scents are at the forefront, creating an introduction that will be incredibly inviting for some, but too cloying for others.
Matching the aroma, the palate delivers waves of sweet flavors. Brown sugar and maple syrup form the base, with splashes of molasses, gingerbread, toasted marshmallow and vanilla accentuating the sweet undertone. Lightly aged oak and graham cracker form behind the whiskey’s sweet foreground, and hints of rye spice and pepper develop in the background. The whiskey carries its sweet profile well, with the flavors blending well for satisfying and very drinkable results.
The rye spice is most prominent at the beginning of the finish, but is overshadowed by the sweeter flavors that overtake it almost immediately. Burnt brown sugar mixes with a light tobacco note, combining the ever-present sweetness of the whiskey with a welcome savory element as it fades. Overall, it’s still a sweet finish to a dessert-like sip, with a flavor profile that’s driven by both rum and rye whiskey.
When Angel’s Envy Finished Rye was released over a decade ago, the American whiskey landscape was very different from what it is today. Finished bourbons were few and far between, or even finished American whiskey. The idea of a rum-aged rye was even more unusual, especially a super-sweet, heavily aged whiskey.
Aged for up to 18 months, Angel’s Envy Rum Finished Rye drinks like a whiskey that’s not only aged in ex-rum barrels, but tastes like it’s been soaked in them. Although rye spices and a whiskey base come through, the sweet flavors that come from the rum aging dominate from start to finish. It has a dessert-like flavor profile with dark sugar, molasses, and gingerbread flavors scattered throughout and various accenting flavors. Although it is 100 proof and the base whiskey is a rye whiskey (though not labeled as a pure rye whiskey), the obvious sweetness and moderate spice of Angel’s Envy Finished Rye contribute to it being lower in alcohol than its ABV would suggest, and a consumer would be hard-pressed to guess that the base whiskey is a rye whiskey, let alone one whose mash contains 95% rye. For these reasons, it is a rum-finished whiskey that has appeal to the mainstream whiskey consumer.
Since its launch, many rum barrel-aged whiskeys have followed. Old Elk Rum Cask Finish Rye, Peerless Rum Barrel Finished Bourbon and Redemption Rum Cask Finish are just a few of the many rum barrel-aged whiskeys that have made it to market. We covered this phenomenon in a previous article: The Rise of American Rum Barrel-Aged Whiskeys.
Still, Angel’s Envy Rum Finished Rye remains a classic – consistent and relatively readily available rum-aged rye that is so heavily rum-soaked that it has a flavor profile that simply hasn’t been replicated before. Even today, it’s a unique whiskey that fulfills the idea of a “dessert whiskey” like no other.
The price of Angel’s Envy Rum Finished Rye has remained about the same since its introduction. It was a high price then, but there was no other whiskey like it. Since production wasn’t what it is today, it came and went, so you had to grab one when you had the chance. Over time, it became a staple on store shelves and was followed by tons of rum barrel-aged whiskeys (though few rum-aged ryes), and with the price remaining about the same, supply, demand, and relative comparison lines have essentially converged. The result is a finished whiskey that is still (mostly) different from others, but also polarizing and, frankly, by no means a sophisticated rye whiskey. It carries no age statement and has no spectacular technical features. What it does offer, however, is a flavor profile that promises to taste uniquely dessert-like and be very drinkable. By that standard, it is a fair price in today’s market and I have no doubt that anyone who appreciates its taste will become a regular consumer of this heavily rum-infused spirit.
The original rum-finished whiskey, Angel’s Envy Finished Rye, was a leader in this field and is still popular today.
It’s no small feat to set the standard and remain relevant for over a decade. Remarkably, Angel’s Envy Finished Rye set the standard for rum finishing and remains a remarkable whiskey today. While many rum-finished whiskeys followed suit (though few used rye as a base) and in many cases achieved a better balance between whiskey and rum, Angel’s Envy Finished Rye continues to rely heavily on rum finishing and enjoys the results.
The ultimate dessert whiskey, its horde of sweet flavors around dark sugar, molasses and gingerbread extend deep into the rum finish, resulting in a whiskey that seems like it’s been heavily soaked in rum, with the base rye seeming more like a blank canvas ready to be painted on than anything else. And little is revealed about the base rye, which is 95% rye, presumably still from MGP, and not even stated directly on the label. It’s not a sophisticated rye that has to meet high standards, but it’s a whiskey that’s really drinkable and accentuates its sweet notes. It’s a ready-made whiskey for many, at least for many who like the idea of a dessert-style whiskey.
