A Very Special Micro Blend

"As bourbon malcontents, we appreciate subtle nuances and tinkering. This micro blend was created from samples of 3 Angel's Envy batches selected by Lincoln and blended to the specifications of Tippins Market."

So now it's time for some fun!

One of the things that appeals to me most about bourbons is that despite the guidelines under which they are made, e.g. consisting of at least 51% corn mash, each is different and distinctive. Even within a brand like Angel's Envy, there can be nuances, as it says right on this bottle in my hand. It's almost like tasting Mom's spaghetti sauce, but this time she added a bit more garlic, or less red wine. Each time, it tastes delicious, and the slight changes in the recipe keep you interested in trying it next time, wondering what new twist she has added.

My absolute favorite place on the planet to purchase any beer, wine, or spirits is Tippins Market. Granted, I haven't travelled around determining which places are best outside of my area, but just go with me here. I LOVE Tippins. Not just because they have, in my opinion, the most extensive collection of bourbon around, but because the guys who work there are excellent help in choosing something new. I have asked so many questions and tried so many new things from their store that I now know most of the people who work there. Dominic has kept me in the loop with new releases coming in. He is my bourbon captain, for sure.

Anyway, what happened with this Angel's Envy is a bit of magic. As you can probably glean from the photo above, the late Lincoln Henderson, Master Distiller for Angel's Envy, took samples from three barrels and sent them to Tippins. The Tippins guys blended the samples in differing proportions, then tasted them. When they settled on a favorite, after a delightful day of tasting, I'm sure (lucky!!), they let the distiller know how they would like it blended. And presto! This micro brew was born. It was blended and bottled especially for sale at Tippins Market. It's gorgeous, let me tell you. If you live near me, run, don't walk, to Tippins and grab yourself a bottle before they're all gone!

Another thing that makes this particular blend special is that, as you may have noticed, I said "the late" Lincoln Henderson. Unfortunately, he passed away this summer after sending the samples to Tippins. The batch was actually blended by his successor.

(For those of you who do not live near me, just get yourself a bottle of Angel's Envy. It won't be this specific blend, sure, but it's still going to be yummy.)

Ok, so I could try and pretend to have a distinguished palate and give you a run down of the flavors I pick up during the sipping, but I'm not going to. There are much fancier people out there who can let you know what it tastes like to them, exactly. I figure that if I taste oranges but you don't, that doesn't mean I don't taste oranges or that I'm doing it wrong. I like oranges very much, thank you, and I'll enjoy my bourbon how I please. (Just to be clear, I don't taste oranges in this blend.)

Never fear, though, I do have some things to say about it's taste. The kind of cool thing about Angel's Envy in general is that it's finished in port wine barrels. Remember, bourbon must be aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years. They did that. Check. Then they aged it further in the port wine barrels: barrels previously used to age port. Doing this gives the bourbon a distinct port flavor toward the end. It's quite lovely. As I mentioned, I enjoy wine a great deal. I just cannot drink much without getting a headache. Boo. One of my favorite wines is chardonnay, very oaky chardonnay. I think that a reason bourbon tastes so delicious to me is that it is aged in oak barrels, so it has a very oaky flavor to it. But I digress. Angel's Envy's port wine finish is outstanding. I encourage you to go to your local store and pick up a bottle. It is a very nice and smooth bourbon. If it's your first bottle, remember you are tasting something special. It's pretty rare for a bourbon to finish in another type of barrel. 

Whew! That seems enough about this bottle for tonight. It's mighty fine. Truly, give it a shot. If you are a new bourbon drinker, don't be afraid to add water or ice to open up the flavors, as the bourbon geeks say, or as I say, to take the burn away. To me, this is a very smooth drink. It is 86.6 proof, so there really isn't much of a burn in the first place. It's a perfect end of the day treat.

If you want to read a bit more, go to their website: Angel's Envy.

Cheers!

My bottle chillin' next to me.

What, you don't make silly faces to your bourbon?