Small-batch limited editions are a critical and celebrated practice in the bourbon whiskey space. Aside from the added exclusivity of having a limited stock, small batches allow distillers to flex their creative muscles and create nuanced versions of the golden ambrosia we all know and love. For Angel’s Envy, its Cask Strength program has epitomized small-batch creative distilling for ten years, and the 2021 release of its Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels serves to commemorate a decade of small-batch excellence.
The Cask Strength program began in 2012 when the Henderson family, the creators of Angel’s Envy, handpicked a select number of port barrels from their rickhouses to make a 600-bottle limited release that was only available in two states. These barrels created a bourbon whiskey with a deliciously unique nose, palate, and finish that elevated the already great-tasting brand. Critical and commercial acclaim followed this carefully curated experiment, thus beginning the annual tradition we’ve all come to love. Angel’s Envy’s latest iteration of the Cask Strength program is a stout, 120.7-proof (60.35% ABV) whiskey that’s balanced with a creamy and indulgent taste. On the nose, the Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey offers a complex aroma featuring notes of peach and cherry with hints of brandy, tea, and honey. On the palate, notes of leather, toasted oak, and vanilla are accompanied with hints of stone fruit and port before transitioning to creamy crème brûlée and honey. The finish features a slight bitterness of tannins with notes of black tea, apricot, and smoke. To top it off, the latest offering of Angel’s Envy’s Cask Strength program comes in a commemorative, carved hardwood box to mark this momentous anniversary.
With a limited release of only 14,760 bottles, bourbon aficionados best act fast before this unique and delicious offering disappears. The 2021 Angel’s Envy 2021 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels retails for $230 and is available on Drizly and select retailers on December 1.
