Angels Envy Cask Strength

Talk about rare, export, annual release and other types of similar bottlings here.

Moderator: Squire

Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby crappie_fisherman » Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:21 am

Okay...I've had a good year of hunting down limited released products.

I have been fortunate enough to secure a couple of bottles of the very limited annual release of the Angels Envy Cask Strength.

Since I travel so much I had been working with my shops out in SoCal for when they will get theirs since only 5 states were getting it this year and Indiana was NOT one of them!

The folks out in SoCal indicated their price would be $250 per bottle...a $100 mark up over retail!

Luckily I was working with a shop in another state who sold them to me for retail ($150 per bottle).

What was most impressive about this packaging is the amazing hardwood case with very impressive hinges and lock...I mean I would have gladly paid $30 LESS per bottle to just buy the bottle...LOL...

In all seriousness...everything I have read about the on-line reviews of this bourbon...my mouth is watering to try it...the flavors and finish are supposed to be intense. It is bottled at ~123 proof...so some water may be needed to tame it down a little...but we will see.

Sadly...right now it isn't even in my possession....I paid for it over the phone...a buddy of mine picked it up (doh...and he is a bourbon lover...is that the fox and hen-house scenario?...I mean PAID FOR HOOCH of a buddy in your possession...OMG...LOL)...we'll see him on Thanksgiving to make the pickup.

This will be added to our bourbon tasting at our house on the 13th...looking forward to it.

Has anyone tried this yet?

From what I read...this is tied for the #1 whiskey of 2013 with a 25 year old scotch...has me more than intrigued and chomping at the bit.
crappie_fisherman
Registered User
 
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:04 am

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby Squire » Fri Nov 29, 2013 1:39 am

I'm not intrigued in the least as I have no interest in flavored Bourbon. I have no use for the fancy bottle and even less (if that's possible) for the empty box.

Strip all that away and we're left with bulk whisky from an unnamed source. I can get a case of Barton, a very good whisky of known provenance, for that price.

No. 1 whisky? Sez who?
Squire
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:04 pm
Location: Jackson, MS

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby crappie_fisherman » Sat Nov 30, 2013 7:22 am

Squire wrote:No. 1 whisky? Sez who?


I believe the gentleman's name is Paul Pacult who named it best spirit of 2013 as referenced in these three web pages...perhaps you have heard of him?

I am NOT a subscriber to the actual webpage where the review is published...so yes I am going by a web reference that references his naming it spirit of the year...but there are 3 references to the same thing...so...I could probably find more references to it...but I figured 3 would be enough...



http://www.bevnet.com/news/2013/angels-envy-announces-cask-strength-limited-edition-release-in-select-markets/



http://dowdtastingnotes.blogspot.com/2013/09/angels-envy-cask-strength.html



http://smokybeast.blogspot.com/2013/11/review-angels-envy-cask-strength-first.html
crappie_fisherman
Registered User
 
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:04 am

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby Squire » Sat Nov 30, 2013 10:50 am

F. Paul Pacult? Certainly I'm familiar with his name, have read his stuff for years and own his first book. Don't share his fondness for wine flavored Bourbon though. For an objective assessment of Bourbon I suggest it's better to rely on the collective palates of Bourbon Boards such as this one.

I notice the links to which you refer repeat the canard about AE using "local grains and limestone water" which is pure BS. The bulk suppliers the Hendersons buy from (originally Brown-Forman, recently MGP) don't do any such thing and it wouldn't make a difference anyway because No. 2 Dent corn is not a location specific grain.

Yesterday, Wes Henderson made a post on the other board in effect apologizing for some errors his marketing people have made on the AE website describing AE products, which errors he said he would personally correct by this weekend. Really a stand up post and worthy of respect.
Squire
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:04 pm
Location: Jackson, MS

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby crappie_fisherman » Sat Nov 30, 2013 6:19 pm

Squire wrote:F. Paul Pacult? Certainly I'm familiar with his name, have read his stuff for years and own his first book. Don't share his fondness for wine flavored Bourbon though. For an objective assessment of Bourbon I suggest it's better to rely on the collective palates of Bourbon Boards such as this one.


A BOLD statement there...LOL... :D

Squire wrote:I notice the links to which you refer repeat the canard about AE using "local grains and limestone water" which is pure BS. The bulk suppliers the Hendersons buy from (originally Brown-Forman, recently MGP) don't do any such thing and it wouldn't make a difference anyway because No. 2 Dent corn is not a location specific grain.

Yesterday, Wes Henderson made a post on the other board in effect apologizing for some errors his marketing people have made on the AE website describing AE products, which errors he said he would personally correct by this weekend. Really a stand up post and worthy of respect.


Thank you for the clarification and info...interesting for sure...but as you said...really a stand up position by the family...!

Sadly we heard from many of the distilleries the terms "local grains" and "limestone water"...so I suspect AE was just caught up in the same mumbo jumbo as the others...but still cool they came out and corrected any misconceptions.
crappie_fisherman
Registered User
 
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:04 am

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby Squire » Sat Nov 30, 2013 9:03 pm

Why, oh why do they do that? If I was a distiller intent on creating a quality image I would make a point of telling my customers I used the very best grain available searching far and wide to get it.

The story behind the story. Makers Mark used to make a big deal about "buying locally" then it leaked out they did indeed place their grain orders with a local company (which they owned) who then bought the grain on the open market like everyone else. But they had invoices to prove the grain was ordered "locally".
Squire
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:04 pm
Location: Jackson, MS

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby crappie_fisherman » Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:57 am

Squire wrote:Why, oh why do they do that? If I was a distiller intent on creating a quality image I would make a point of telling my customers I used the very best grain available searching far and wide to get it.

The story behind the story. Makers Mark used to make a big deal about "buying locally" then it leaked out they did indeed place their grain orders with a local company (which they owned) who then bought the grain on the open market like everyone else. But they had invoices to prove the grain was ordered "locally".



To be completely fair...they typically stated their "corn" was sourced/grown locally...so given the info you provided...they probably "order" from local suppliers but are filled by the open market...at least for corn.

As far as rye and barley...most clearly stated they get those from other northern states like Wisconsin and the like.

As far as the water...well they all made a big deal about how the limestone "filters" the iron and rust out of the water and that is why Kentucky IS the bourbon capital of the world due to the limestone filtering of their spring fed waters.

I know Willett made a big deal about their spring fed "pond" they use right behind their still house...and stated as such with the limestone filtering the water...

Now originally coming from Jersey...I have to say there has to be some credence in the water helping somethings be BETTER from that region...pizza dough is the case in point for me... :D

ON a side note...I was able to pick up 2 bottles of Weller 12 year out here in Cali yesterday as well as an Angels Envy Rye that I have been wanting to try...the AE Rye is finished in rum barrels that started as congac barrels...so we'll see...
crappie_fisherman
Registered User
 
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:04 am

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby Squire » Mon Dec 02, 2013 1:06 pm

Limestone filtered water is not unique to Kentucky but what they say about iron is true, it will ruin whisky. Properly treated tap water works fine though, Stitzel-Weller used it back when as does Brown-Forman today.
Squire
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:04 pm
Location: Jackson, MS

Re: Angels Envy Cask Strength

Unread postby crappie_fisherman » Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:23 pm

I agree that you need to start with "proper" water...how you get there is almost independent of the fact that you got there...either through nature or science...LOL.

But we are way off topic from my original post about AE Cask Strength... 8-)
crappie_fisherman
Registered User
 
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:04 am


Return to Enthusiast Bottlings

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests