Tastes

This bourbon has a legendary reputation locally, and it’s hard to find a bottle for under $80. Finally found a bar with some in stock. Doesn’t taste like I thought it would at all. Most sherry scotches are scotch-first, sherry-second. And similarly, Angel’s Envy is basically bourbon-first, port-second. This is quite the opposite, there’s so much sherry sweetness going on here, it just tastes like liquid honeyed raisins. Hardly any charred oak harshness at all. Any bourbon-y caramel, etc. is lost to the background. It reminds me of aged rum more than anything else. Tastes syrupy in that same vein. That being said, it does taste really good. I just can’t help but have mixed feelings about it. My heart loves it for tasting good, and my brain hates it for breaking all the rules. Great for serving to guests in any case. Any casual whiskey drinker will love the stuff

The “still signature” on this is so strong, it sorta tastes like moonshine made from a burnt mash, which I don’t really appreciate in what is supposed to be a nice, luxurious sherry scotch. It adds complexity without adding any fun. Strangely enough, it actually tastes better with a little ice. The mouthfeel gets thicker, the still signature weirdness tightens up into a simpler bitterness, and the sherry aspects get sweeter. Either way, you’re better off spending your money elsewhere. (Looking at other reviews, it might be that I had a bad batch, who knows)

This occupies the realm of “great gift bourbons.” It’s old, expensive, and easy to appreciate; along the same lines as something like Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. And good news — this tastes better, smoother, and less watery that that, and it comes in a swanky ass bottle. The only problem is that it’s impossible to find. But if you can find a bottle, go for it. It’s the safest of safe bets. As for the actual flavors, you already know what it tastes like. Smooth caramel, and vanilla so dark and woody it starts to turn into faint licorice and cinnamon. (It’s not harsh in the way the Van Winkle or Weller line can be.) It’s good stuff, but it’s not ideal for the cask-strength bourbon fans.

Just now finishing the bottle. I’d say that the 10 is tastier in a straightforward sense. The Lore gains bonus points for its ridiculous complexity. Overall I’d give it the same rating. What I like about the Lore in particular is that it tastes good neat, with water, and with ice, all in different ways. Neat is more band-aidy, water brings out the sweetness, and ice makes it thicker and smokier. But at the same time, if you want something that tastes just as good without any fuss (for half the price), you might as well go with the 10. As an aside, I like this better than the Uigeadail, which is ashy and bacon-y in comparison.

Lots and lots of bubblegum. If you were to describe the flavors in more detail, you could say there’s notes of vanilla, banana, berries, and plain white sugar. But that all ends up combining into a candy-sweet bubblegum flavor that I can’t get past. I only had one glass, so YMMV, but I’m not a huge fan.

Very pleasant drinking. The initial hit is smooth vanilla, of course. If you swish it around a little bit, the palette lights up, with the barrel tannins and alcohol going on the attack. Also present are slight hints of leather, salt, and tobacco. Very good, but more of a crowd pleaser than a true unicorn bottle. Either way I’m not mad at it - no complaints.