Angel's Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels (2020 Edition)

Was lucky enough to do a side by side comparison of the 2019 and 2020 releases, both tasted neat in a glencairn. The nose of the 2019 was fairly flat especially in comparison to the 2020. The darker fruits were there but I really had to search for them, I kept coming back to the glass thinking I was missing something but to be honest I think it was just lacking. I did however at one point get a creme brûlée note. The 2020 however was a very fruit forward nose, the wine finish really showed itself and it was very inviting, no contest between the two. The palates were surprisingly different for me compared to what I was expecting, I thought they would be more similar than they were. Despite the obvious heat due to the ABV, the 2019 was quite a bit spicier than the 2020. The 2020 just seemed more complex. It started out dry and tannic but then the citrus fruit notes started taking over and balanced it out very nicely. When it came the finish, I got the slightest touch of smoke on the 2019 but for the most part it was a continuation of the palate. I didn’t get any noticeable different notes on the finish of the 2020. Both were mostly just a fairly long extension of the palates. Overall I think the the 2019 is a great pour by itself but my rating may have been brought down a bit because of the side by side with the 2020. Everyone has their own tastes and opinions but to me, the 2020 was the better pour here! I would give the 2019 a rating of 4 and the 2020 a 4.5.

Dark cherry, vanilla