whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Angel’s Envy Batch 70-Z Review

Posted on 27-January-202010-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Angel’s Envy Review:

posted on 26-January-2020

ANGEL’S ENVY BATCH 70-Z REVIEW:

NOTE: This review is from Batch 70-Z which I’ve had in my bunker since July 2019, but it was in the Idaho State Liquor Division’s warehouse prior to that. I will update my review when a bottle from a new batch is opened.

Angel’s Envy Batch 70-Z is bourbon and wine on the nose, in the mouth and at the finish which is to be expected from a port barrel finished bourbon. It is a fresh and clean juice and this batch well balanced. Still I expected a bit more from a bottle at this price point.

ANGEL’S ENVY BATCH 70-Z VITAL STATS:

– Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Finished in Port Barrels, then hand blended in batches of 8 to 12 barrels at a time.
– Region: Louisville, KY, USA
– Distillery: Angel’s Envy Distillery
– Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
– Barrel Char: #3
– Barrel entry proof: 125
– Age: nas
– ABV: 43.3% (96.6 Proof)
– Batch #: 70 Z
– Bottle #: 4110
– Price: $46.95 USD in Idaho

Learn more at https://angelsenvy.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

For the evaluation, I shared the juice neat from Glencairn glasses with my daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

NOSE:

I picked up a blast of corn on the first waft from the Glencairn from this batch of Angel’s Envy. On the second and subsequent nosings, the draws were dry, with a faint burn and they were full of bourbon and wine. The dusty corn wains but never truly drifts away as scents of fresh citrus – orange rind, Maraschino cherries and dark stone fruit come forward. Its spices present as well mixed allspice and rye. The sweetness is more candy-like than sugary: vanilla taffy and candy corn with a faint hint of orange blossom honey in the mix for good measure. This bottle is simple and gentle with hints of faint leather and a trace of walnuts peeking into hazy, toasted light oak. It is fresh and clean on the nose.

PALATE:

There is a quick burn then warmth as the juice is first sipped. Bourbon and wine are at the forefront as grassiness and green vegetables (maybe Brussel sprouts???) come forward. The citrus detected on the nose enters the mouth as orange marmalade. There are also fruits of fig and current. The juice is full of cloves, ginger, pepper, rye, and loads of warm Christmas spices. Any trace of sweetness detected on the nose is gone and is replaced with nice earthy old leather, and bitter walnuts and there is plenty of woody, smoky-sweet char and seasoned old oak.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
This batch of Angel’s Envy is balanced and well blended, viscous and oily in the mouth and thoroughly pleasant to sip. In the Glencairn, droplets cling then return in long slow dropping legs to the light mahogany pool.

FINISH:

Angel’s Envy finishes with medium length and gives the throat a nice warm tickle. As on the nose and in the mouth there are traces of bourbon and wine (its port influence) which mix with a trace of green vegetables and faint citrus. Its spices of cloves and rye are greatly diminished and a faint burnt sugar sweetness returns. As the dram is drawn down, earthy old leather, hazy barrel char and seasoned old oak waft from the empty Glencairn.

MY RATING: 86/100

Will I seek out this whiskey in the future? Yes
But it won’t be a must have in the bunker.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 86/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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How to Pick A Whiskey

Posted on 26-January-202005-September-2024 by whiskeyfortheages

Picking a Whiskey

Knowing how to pick a whiskey, whether it is your first or your hundredth comes with a lot of decisions, and it can be difficult to always know how to pick the right one. Sometimes you know what you’re looking for and go straight to it, or maybe you peruse your store and browse. Either way, the goal is to find the best bottle to enjoy or stow away in your own stash.

When I’m in the liquor store, I watch other people as they go about picking a whiskey. While there are those who know what they’re buying or know what they have been told to purchase, I often witness novice hesitation.

It is easy to sense the confusion – after all, we have all been in this situation at one time or another in our journey. And many of us are still likely pause every now and then as we decide who gets to come home to the bunker.

“… approach the selection process methodically.”

BACKGROUND QUESTIONS

Regardless of our experience, it seems certain questions still hang there:

– What was it my friends shared last weekend?
– These bottles all look the same, but which one of these three variations should I get?
– What am I after?
– Which one am I supposed to ask for?
– What should I do?

Not so long ago that person was me (or maybe it’s you now). I had no idea what makes a $40 bottle better than a $20 one, let alone why another was $60 or more. I wasn’t willing to fork out $40 on a whiskey I might not like.

Then it dawned on me … approach the selection process methodically.

STEP 1: WHISKEY STYLES, PROOFS, PROFILES AND PACKAGING

The staff at a good liquor store can guide you to quality whiskeys in a variety of whiskey styles: Scotch whiskey from Scotland, Canadian whiskey, Japanese whiskey, and American ryes and bourbons. Each will have offerings in a variety of alcohol by volume (ABV) or proof. For example, 90 proof whiskey has a 45% ABV and some may exceed 140 proof (70% ABV)! Luckily, every bottle has its proof and ABV written clearly somewhere on the label, removing confusion as you decide the alcohol level you prefer.

Each style has its own profile. Scotch’s, for instance, have the widest array: delicate, earthy, fruity, salty, and smoky. Some say Japanese whiskeys are similar as many borrow scotch distilling techniques. Canadian whiskeys have their own traits and are highly favored by many and American ryes can run spicy and bourbons sweet.

Bottles can be found on the shelf in varying sizes: 375 ml and 750 ml being the most common. There are dozens and dozens of brands, but to begin, consider selecting bottles from common distillers. Many common distillers offer 375 ml and smaller bottlings. Again, let the staff guide you.

STEP 2: HOW WILL YOU BE ENJOYING YOUR WHISKEY?

It has been said enjoying whiskey is like hitting life’s pause button. There are so many ways to enjoy a dram or two as you sit back and discuss the day’s or week’s events with friends:

– Will you mixing your spirit with a cola or using whiskey as a mixer? If so, you may not want to invest in a higher priced offering.
– Will you be enjoying your whiskey cold over ice (on-the-rocks)? Be sure to select one that can stand up to a little water as the cubes melt.
– Will you be sipping your pour neat or with water? Often the subtleties of a fine whiskey can be detected best with minimal additions.

STEP 3: WHISKEY BUDGET

Only you know how much you can spend. Very few of us like to experiment with our hard earned cash, even on something we intend to enjoy.

Before entering the store, set a spending limit. You might be comfortable with $25-30 and there are plenty of good whiskeys in this range. If a bottle under $25 fits better into the initial budget, there may be fewer gems in this range, but a good liquor store staff member can guide you.

If you are fortunate and your budget is a bit more flexible, say $30-$45, there are dozens of fine whiskeys from which to choose. If you can spend even more, there are many premium options to choose from. Keep in mind, good whiskeys from outside the country may cost a bit more, so plan accordingly.

STEP 4: ASK AN EXPERT

Now, perhaps most importantly: ASK SOMEONE! … Ask the store or liquor department manager. Ask the staff. At the very least, ask the patron standing next to you. They might be in the same bad way you are.

Or maybe, the person standing next to you knows a little bit. We whiskey drinkers are a strange lot; we love talking about our favorite spirit, but will seldom speak first.

Way back when, I simply asked my local liquor store manager, Adam. He asked what I was looking for … scotch, bourbon? Fruity? Sweet? Oaky? What about smoky? Adam pointed out examples, helping narrow down my options, even though he acknowledged he had yet to try all the bourbons on the shelf. To this day, he is still my go-to guy for whiskey information.

SUMMARY

So when picking a whiskey, approach the selection process methodically …

STEP 1: Style, Proof and Profile. Do you want a big smoky scotch?

STEP 2: How are you enjoying your whiskey? On the rocks? Neat?

STEP 3: Budget. Do you want to buy bottles in smaller sizes first?

STEP 4: Ask an expert!

The staff should be able to help narrow down which fit the criteria you give them. They will help narrow choices from hundreds to maybe ten at the most. Not so scary then! And maybe the staff will have a recommendation from those ten to make it even easier.

APPLICATION

For my first whiskeys, I wanted bourbons with lower proofs so they wouldn’t burn me (Step 1), ones I could enjoy neat (Step 2), and priced in the $25-$30 range so they wouldn’t break the bank (Step 3). With my expert, Adam, (Step 4), I settled on two 350 ml bottles, (spending only a bit more than my $30 budget). In the end I was able to begin comparing. I gave the whiskeys I selected a fair chance to impress, refraining from the higher proof or price offerings; I knew I wasn’t ready, though these would come by refining my answers to the steps the longer I practiced the method.

Today, in the three or four other liquor stores I frequent, the managers and staff – my experts – recognize me and know my profile and are quick to point out a potential product they feel I might enjoy, which I often do!

Next time you find yourself staring at the shelves, ask around before deciding how to pick a whiskey at the liquor store. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the newly recommended bottle … And if not, you’ve just discovered a bottle or distiller to be more wary of in the future.

To know how I rate the whiskeys included in my bunker, click here!

Let me know your thoughts … To leave a comment or share how you go about picking a whiskey, click the “Leave a Reply” button below. Cheers!

Written by Brian Dawson

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Featured Photos by Adam Wilson, Javier Allegue Barros, and Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #7 Review

Posted on 23-January-202029-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #7 Review

Original review written January 21, 2020

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Out of the three Idaho Batches I’ve had of Maker’s, this one is my second favorite for its intense warmth and dark fruity flavors. Read my full Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch #7 Review here! 92/100

VITALS:

Maker’s Mark Private Select ID Director’s Cut Batch 7 Review

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Maker’s Mark Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
– Age: 8 yrs. 9 weeks
– Mash Bill: Corn=70%; Soft red winter wheat=16%; Malted barley=14%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 110
– ABV: 54.3% (108.6 proof)
– Maker’s Mark Private Select Idaho Division Cut Batch #7 MMPS ID-DCB7 finishing staves:
4 Baked American Pure (P2) to provide brown sugar, vanilla, caramel and spice
3 Roasted French Mocha (Mo) to provide char, maple and cacao
2 Maker’s Mark 46 (46) to provide dried fruit, vanilla and spice
1 Seared French Cuvée (Cu) to provide toasty oak and caramel
0 Toasted French Spice (Sp)
– Stave Selectors: The Idaho State Liquor Division and Chris Bailey of “The Whiskey Bar” in Boise, Idaho, USA
– Price: $69.95 USD in Idaho

Visit makersmark.com for more information

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine waking up with this bourbon and walking outside to recline on a slightly chilled, sandy beach as the sun comes up. With a salty breeze and soothing pastel colors, Batch #7 warms the soul and starts your day with a smile.

Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash

NOSE:

Rich oak erupts from the warming glass, along with a dusting of brown sugar. There’s some nutmeg, but it’s pretty minimal. Deep inhales grant a deep vanilla custard and dark, but sweet cherries.

Sweetness just continues to pour from the glass with maple candies making a sudden appearance and maybe a hint of apple, but that is so subtle, it’s hard to get it to last in the nose, but it does make for an elusive freshness.

There isn’t a strong alcohol presence, despite being more than 50% ABV.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: A rough texture that clings to my tongue – very nice.
– Balance: Maybe the flavors and blend are a bit simple, but it’s executed very well.
– Visual: Mahogany in color, there are fat legs that cling to the glass after vanishing and then reappearing just under the crown.

– Taste: The spice opens up a bit more on the first sip, now being black pepper.
Apples come out as well, powdered brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon on top with some caramel that is almost burnt. Dark cherries are here too, mixing with its lighter cherry cousin, the maraschino. Both are very juicy and sweet, combining well with the spices.

The oak is still here too, but it comes across as a sawdust.

The alcohol is stronger here in the palate too, but it still isn’t very aggressive aside from a tickle at the back of the throat.

With a Kentucky chew, black pepper, maraschino cherries and a feisty bourbon burn come into play, all of which make me smile.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Very long. The warmth from this bourbon is fairly strong, settling mostly in the mouth and throat, but I find it at the top of my chest too.
– Between Sips: Light cherries and oak shavings fill my palate as I pause before taking another sip, and such flavors continue to linger and linger.

– No More: This one calms down the more it breathes, but it is still warm – the cherries and the oak blending together very well that they are harder to distinguish. There is a growing wheat component as well, perhaps the cause of the mellowing taste overall.

The empty Glencairn presents with the cherry and oak staying side-by-side to the very end, with a sweet warmth permeating from the glass.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Yes. The fact that all batches reviewed were made for Idaho by Idaho State Liquor Division just makes them more special to me. Though Batch #7 is hard to find, I’d buy again.

RATING: 92/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

Click 92/100 to access other whiskeys with this rating.
To access other whiskies from this distillery, click Maker’s Mark.

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