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.
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