Tastes

On the nose, classic old man bourbon, with brown sugar and leather. Smooth on the palate, with spice that kicks in late. Good mouthfeel, creamy even, but light flavors. The leather is still there. Slight bitterness lingers. 5/20/18

Can a bourbon nose be described as gorgeous?! Sweet maple syrup, sour ale, and a new baseball mitt. Not too much alcohol sting. Palate is rich, it starts off with a sharp fruity sting, then cascades with waves of smoky goodness. Cinnamon, char, brown sugar, saltes caramel, apple cider, nutmeg, smoked meat. Great hug, this isn't as hot as I expected, but it's definitely warm going down. Dark chocolate lingers. This doesn't feel thin, but it's thinner than I expected, for some reason. Small quibble. This is really good. I've read some reviews that say this was a down year for Stagg; I wouldn't know, but if this is down, then the other years must be crazy good. 5/17/18

The first time I had this, I got lots of oak, some sweetness... and very little else (if anything). I was told it would open up. Three weeks later, I get more fruit on the nose, very pungent, almost like a sour ale. Definitely oak and maybe some cloves and brown sugar. On the palate, the sharp oak is still there, but there's more this time, some floral notes and baking spice to round out the sweetness. It finishes with more oak and a strong char, along with roasted gingko seeds and a hint of bitter chocolate and pecan shell. It feels creamy and thin at the same time, interestingly. This is still an acidic oak bomb, but there's more this time around. Hopefully it'll continue to open up. 5/16/18 Has developed a bit, some earthy tones and caramel. But still really oaky. 5/27/18

Spice, fresh linens, clover honey on the nose. Deep flavor on the palate, pleasantly oaky, sweet, baking spice, a hint of turpentine. The whole flavor profile lingers. A great Kentucky hug. Worthy of the PHC line. 5/12/18

Soft nose. pleasant, but muted. But then it opens up. On the palate, the there's sweetness. But nothing else stands out and I mean that in the best way. This is complex and balanced. Some lingering spice. Hard to put a finger on it, and in that way, mission accomplished. Tell me a particular whisk(e)y is in it and I'll believe you. Savor this. 5/10/18 Batch 2, March 2018. Nose is similar, with malty notes but soft. Sweet notes as well, a strong honey note. On the palate, surprisingly sweet up front, cola notes initially. Some baking spice. Smooth and drinkable for the proof, with a nice spicy sting at the end. Another winner. 6/2/18 Batch 4, May 2018. More sandalwood notes. Herbs. Sweet and strange, but in a good way. Ends with a floral note. Changes with each sip. Another winner. 7/3/18 Batch 3, April 2018. Seems in line with the other batches, with an emphasis on the clove honey notes. Herbs, sandalwood as well. 8/17/18

Smells good. Nutmeg, fruit, cola. On the palate, smooth. Light, sweet, some spice, maybe a hint of cacao nibs. Inoffensive. Good intro whisky for newbies. 5/10/18

Smells very fruity, sweet, a little minty. Caramel granny smith apple. Fantastic nose. On the palate, very light, smooth, but a nice herbal and spice kick at the end that hits the back of the throat. Slight bitterness that lingers. Not as malty as I expected, this would pass as a rye. 5/7/18

Fresh, grassy nose. Mild on the palate. Feels chalky, thick. Slightly sweet, some floral and herbal notes. Inoffensive. 4/27/18

What you would expect, smooth and sweet. Surprisingly a pronounced bitter note. 4/27/18.

Note that I was poured the last remaining ounces in the bottle, so I think this had the advantage of air time. The color is striking, a rich, deep amber that evidences its port cask finish. Roasted caramel, char, and fresh oak on the nose. Not as much alcohol sting on the nose as I expected. The palate follows suit, it seems smooth for its proof. Nice sweetness, which is expected for Angel's Envy juice. There's a pleasant perfume note, which I usually don't like, but here it works. Balanced with just the right amount of baking spice, and this spice lingers on the back of the tongue throughout. It finishes with heat and cacao nibs. Not the most complex pour, but that's a minor quibble. This has something for the adventurous novice looking to expand his palate, and something for a veteran. It would probably work as an aperitif, as dessert, as a nightcap, or on it's own, it even holds up to a cigar. 4 stars, with the potential for 5. At its price point it's hard to make this an every day pour, but you may be tempted. 4/23/18