Review by: zSolaris

Angel’s Envy Cellar Collection Tawny Port Barrel Finish (2020 Release)

Distillery: Angel’s Envy

Region: Kentucky

Age: 10 year + 10 months finishing in Tawny Port barrels.

ABV: 55.8%

Color: 1.7, Burnt Umber.

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Nose: A fresh coat of wood varnish and some red berries are what I get out of this one.

Palate: It starts off quiet, almost soft and inviting. It’s cool on the tongue for the first few seconds with just smidge of grain sweetness to really remind you something is there. Then, like an orchestra in crescendo, the flavors get louder and build very quickly. There are is a lovely spice mix that takes center stage with freshly ground black pepper, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and star anise all playing a part. There’s some fruity notes that I can’t quite pick out here and there as well as a dark soda flavor that is somewhere between root beer and Dr. Pepper.

Finish: Short at first, longer as you have more of this. The wood varnish from the nose pops up here as well as the Dr. Pepper-y notes as well as freshly polished leather.

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Conclusion: I never thought a whiskey could take me back to my school days in the school orchestra (I wasn’t a particularly good cellist) but this one does. It starts off with almost a whisper but quickly builds up in flavor and roars to life. The spice mix is full of flavor and loud but balances well as to not overpower the senses. The bits of fruity and sweeter soda notes help elevate this to being more than just a trip down the spice aisle. The little bits of varnish and polish are help add an almost earthy element to this. Does it warrant the price tag? That’s a little harder to say but I don’t think you would be too disappointed.

Final Score: 90.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.