Angel's Envy Triple Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review

There are plenty of easily recognizable names in the American distilling universe. One of those was Lincoln Henderson. He spent 40 years at Brown Forman and is responsible for Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, and Woodford Reserve. Then, he retired.

 

And, as what often happens with retired Master Distillers who can’t rid themselves of that distilling itch, Lincoln unretired and, along with his son Wes, founded Angel’s Envy in 2011. They broke ground on their Louisville distillery in 2013, just a few months shy of Lincoln’s passing.

 

What Lincoln and Wes accomplished was bringing barrel finishing to the mainstream. Barrel-finishing Bourbon and American Rye was still in its infancy, and the Hendersons created an entire brand around the concept of finishing sourced whiskeys.

 

Angel’s Envy was sold to Bacardi Limited in 2015. Wes stayed on as the brand’s steward to maintain the quality and growth of the brand before finally retiring in 2022. On a side note, that distilling itch caught Wes, too. He’s come out of retirement to start a new brand and is building a distillery in Lexington. Owen Martin took over the responsibilities of Master Distiller and is a longtime expert on blending and barrel finishing, and he’s not afraid to push the envelope.

 

Angel Envy’s newest release is called Triple Oak. It is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon that’s been finished in (you guessed it) three different types of oak: Hungarian, Chinkapin, and French. You’ve probably heard of Hungarian and French oaks. Chinkapin is more obscure. It is a hardwood native to limestone soils and produces nuts.

 

“I think you’re really just seeing us try to flex our muscles as a blending team. We were thinking about what we could bring to the table: Can we do something that uses three different types of oak but isn’t over-oaked? That’s why we kind of wanted to use Chinkapin specifically, because we knew we were pulling Hungarian and French oak from Europe, but we also wanted to use the oak that’s in our backyard, even if it’s a lesser-known one." – Owen Martin, Master Distiller

 

The mashbill and the source of Triple Oak are undisclosed. Assuming it is the same distillate as its classic Bourbon, that’s 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. The Bourbon was aged in new, #3-charred oak casks. The finishing process is broken down as follows:

 

• Hungarian Oak: 6 months, 40% of the volume, 119.1°
• Chinkapin Oak: 6 months, 40% of the volume, 117.2°
• French Oak: 3 months, 20% of the volume, 114°

 

Three Oak carries no age statement; however, Angel’s Envy states the whiskey matured at least four years before the finishing process started. Packaged in a 750ml at 46% ABV (92°), the Bourbon has a suggested price of $75.00.

 

All this trivia is great, but I bet you want to know how this Bourbon tastes, right? Thankfully, Angel’s Envy has graciously provided me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious!

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid presented as a dull golden amber. It formed a thin rim with thick, lightning-fast tears.

 

Nose: I smelled toasted oak, figs, dried apricots, dates, vanilla, and orange peel. When I pulled the air through my lips, I found more vanilla.

 

Palate: Triple Oak’s mouthfeel was thick and creamy. The first things I tasted were vanilla, honey, and cherries. At my mid-palate were flavors of molasses, cocoa powder, and apricots. The back included ginger spice, black pepper, and heavily toasted oak.

 

Finish: Triple Oak’s finish was level. It featured old leather, molasses, apricots, black pepper, ginger, and heavily toasted oak. I timed it at 3:08, making it incredibly long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Angel’s Envy Triple Oak has plenty going for it. The aroma was surprisingly fruit-heavy. I found that weighty, creamy texture inviting, and the taste was enjoyable with the fruity, spicy notes. That Energizer Bunny finish will make this Bourbon last and cause you to sip slowly. There’s value in that, and I believe it deserves my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.