Angel’s Envy Just Dropped Its Coveted Annual Cask Strength Bourbon—and We Got a First Taste
The limited-edition fall whiskey hits keep on coming, with another annual release just hitting liquor store shelves around the country this month. Angel’s Envy announced the details of its 2022 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels today, the eleventh time this popular whiskey has been bottled.
It was announced recently that Owen Martin, formerly of Stranahan’s distillery in Denver Colorado, was taking over as master distiller at Angel’s Envy. So this new edition of Cask Strength is particularly exciting for the team in Louisville. “Our annual Cask Strength expression is our most highly anticipated annual tradition at Angel’s Envy, both for our team and for our fans, and this year’s release is special,” said Angel’s Envy general manager Gigi DaDan. “Not just because it is an exceptional whiskey, but because it also marks an exciting time in Angel’s Envy’s growth. Looking ahead, we can’t wait to see the unique perspective that our new master distiller Owen Martin will bring to the Cask Strength program as he oversees it with the support of our best-in-class production team.”
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There are just shy of 17,000 bottles available at retailers around the country and the Louisville distillery this month, which might sound like a lot, but these tend to sell out quickly. The 2022 Cask Strength Bourbon was bottled at 119.8 proof, which is within the range of past releases. The DNA of this whiskey is essentially the same as the core product—a combination of in-house and contract distilled bourbon that is aged for four to six years and then placed into Portuguese port wine barrels for a secondary maturation period before bottling. While the core expression is bottled at 86.6 proof and finished for about six months, this bourbon is finished for up to 14 months and bottled at whatever strength it comes out (in other words, not cut to proof with water).
We got to sample the new Cask Strength release, and we’re happy to report that it’s a very good whiskey. Close to 120 proof is strong but not aggressive, although you do feel the heat particularly on the tip of your tongue. The whiskey announces itself with a nice tannic pop, and this dryness quickly fades into a multitude of flavors including orange zest, lemon, dark cherry, vanilla fudge, espresso and ripe stone fruits. There’s a lovely note of caramel and butter on the finish as well.
Angel’s Envy 2022 Cask Strength is arriving at stores this month with an SRP of $229.99. You can likely find it at the distillery for that, but on the secondary market expect prices to vary wildly—past releases often are sold for a minimum of $500 per bottle. So if you don’t mind spending a little dough, this is one cask-finished, cask-strength whiskey you won’t regret buying.
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