ANGEL’S ENVY®, the Louisville-based craft distiller that produces small batch, finished whiskeys, today announced the limited-edition release of its ANGEL’S ENVY 2021 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels. This limited-edition, 120.7-proof (60.35% ABV) whiskey marks the tenth release in ANGEL’S ENVY’S Cask Strength program, and it is packaged in a commemorative and collectible carved hardwood box. Beginning on December 1, just 14,760 bottles will be available at select retailers in all 50 U.S. states, including the ANGEL’S ENVY distillery in downtown Louisville. The ANGEL’S ENVY Cask Strength program was introduced in 2012 by Wes Henderson, his son Kyle and his father, the late Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson.
“Putting together our annual Cask Strength release has become something of a tradition for our family. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been doing it for ten years,” said Wes Henderson, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of ANGEL’S ENVY. “Back in 2012, our first Cask Strength release was a run of just 600 bottles available in only two states. So to see fans all over the country chasing down these bottles and sharing them with their friends and family as a special way to toast over the holidays or as a gift – it’s very rewarding and a reflection of how much Angel’s Envy has grown over the past decade.”
Each year, as part of the ANGEL’S ENVY Cask Strength program, the Henderson family selects a handful of noteworthy barrels from its rickhouses to put through an extended finishing process in port wine barrels from Portugal. These special barrels bring forward distinct characteristics in the whiskey, giving each expression of ANGEL’S ENVY Cask Strength a unique nose, palate and finish. Over the past decade, many ANGEL’S ENVY Cask Strength releases have been highly acclaimed and awarded by reviewers, experts and journalists across the industry.Â
ANGEL’S ENVY 2021 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels is complex on the nose, with notes of peach and cherry accompanied by hints of brandy, tea and honey. Notes of leather, toasted oak and vanilla carry into the palate, along with flavors of stone fruit and port that give way to creamy crème brulee and honey with nutty marzipan. The finish features slight tannins and notes of black tea, apricot and smoke. ANGEL’S ENVY recommends sipping ANGEL’S ENVY 2021 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels neat.
Suggested retail price for a 750mL bottle, which may vary by market, is $229.99.Â