By Manos Angelakis

A New American Bourbon

I have to admit that my early knowledge of whiskey-making in the United States came from Joan Baez’s version of “Copper Kettle”.

“Get you a copper kettle
Get you a copper coil
Cover with new made corn mash
And never more you'll toil”

And while I love to “lay there by the junipers, while the moon is bright” I don’t think that it is a necessary step of whiskey production in modern days.

Anyway, before the revenuers come and get me, I have to talk about Angel’s Envy, Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson’s new small-batch bourbon that I tasted a week ago. Henderson came out of retirement to create Angel’s Envy, one of the most exiting American whiskey releases in years.

If you like smoky, single malt whiskeys with a velvety feel, you will love Henderson’s Angel’s Envy. It is a blend of column and pot still distillates, aged for 4 to 6 years in Bluegrass Cooperage barrels and finished in Portuguese port casks. It is a silky, smooth, very aromatic bourbon with a nose of vanilla, toffee, smoke and toasted nuts, and apricot, and a long finish of Lapsang Souchong hints on the attack with a subtle background of maple syrup, chocolate, and honey. The ending offers an exceptional sweet balanced smokiness.

The name “Angel’s Envy” refers to the distillate left in the aging casks after 4% to 5% of product evaporates each year - known as the “Angel’s Share” in both the whisk(e)y and cognac industries. This whiskey is so good that whatever is left in the cask for us, will indeed be envied by the angels.

In addition to New Jersey, Angel’s Envy can be found in the following markets: Louisville, New York, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Chicago, San  Francisco, Austin, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Houston, Dallas, Nashville, Portland, Washington, DC, and Boulder/Denver. 

© February 2012 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.