News Release - Angel's Envy Opens Doors to Their Full Production Distillery

ANGEL'S ENVY™ PUBLICLY UNVEILS FIRST

FULL-PRODUCTION DISTILLERY AND VISITOR CENTER

IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Reservations for Guided Tours Now Being Accepted Online

 

Louisville, Kentucky (November 16, 2016) - Angel's Envy™, the super-premium Kentucky Straight bourbon whiskey of uncompromising character and quality, will officially open its new distillery and visitor center to the public for guided tours beginning Saturday, November 19. Online reservations, which are required, are now being accepted at www.angelsenvy.com. Admission is $15 per person and includes a tasting.

 

Located at 500 E. Main Street at Jackson, (the former Vermont American and Baer Fabrics Warehouse), the new state-of-the-art facility is the first full-production whiskey distillery in downtown Louisville. Having completed a $27 million renovation since breaking ground in 2013, the brand home center houses the Angel’s Envy distillery operations (including everything from milling of grains to blending and bottling on site), as well as a visitor center and gift shop. From the exterior walls to the vaulted ceilings and arched windows, their architects worked diligently to preserve every possible feature of the original building. Their breathtaking, one-of-a-kind 35-foot-tall column still, pot still and doubler were sourced locally from Vendome Copper & Brass Works—just four blocks away. 

 

The small batch artisan bourbon is the culmination of the late Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson's storied career. Each of the brand’s three current expressions (flagship Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Port Wine Barrels, Angel’s Envy Cask Strength and Angel’s Envy Rye finished in hand-selected Caribbean rum casks), exhibit his passion for experimenting outside of conventional norms by producing unique whiskey steeped in tradition, but finished with a twist.

 

“Opening the Angel’s Envy distillery and visitor’s center in downtown Louisville was a dream Dad (Lincoln Henderson) and I had,” said Wes Henderson, Co-founder/Chief Innovation Officer, Louisville Distilling Company. “He would be so proud of what we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time. My sons and I proudly carry on his legacy. The distillery is a must-see experience.”

“We are delighted that Angel’s Envy chose downtown Louisville for its new distillery and visitor center,” said Louisville Mayor, Greg Fischer. “It is evident that Angel’s Envy is not only committed to quality craftsmanship, but also the greater Louisville community.”

The Angel’s Envy distillery and visitor center will be open for tours every Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00am – 5:00pm, and every Sunday, from 1:00 – 5:00pm. Tours will not be available on Tuesdays.

 

For more information, please visit us at www.angelsenvy.com or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AngelsEnvyBourbon and twitter https://twitter.com/Angels_Envy (@angels_envy).

 

The ANGEL’S ENVY™ brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

 

Angel’s Envy™ is a proud member of the Kentucky Distiller’s Association (KDA)

 

Angel’s Envy™ 2016. Heaven Can Wait. Please Drink Responsibly.

Review of the Smooth Ambler - Old Scout Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 7 Years

With our second review from West Virginia based Smooth Ambler Spirits Co., we highlight the 7 year bourbon.  This expression showcases an excellent example of what this company can do and leaves us curious about other spirits yet to come. 

Smooth Ambler Old Scout Straight bourbon whiskey might not originate from the hollers of West Virginia, but the men and women who chose the juice certainly do.  This 7 year bourbon comes in at 99 proof and is produced by MGP in Lawrenceburg, IN.  Bottled in Maxwelton, West Virginia, this whiskey contains a high rye content of 36% and like the label says, carries a truly smooth taste throughout the whole drinking experience. 
Smooth Ambler does not shy away from their current business plan and it's no secret that some of their whiskey is coming out of Indiana.  Like any young distillery, it takes time to distil, age and produce, but what they do have from the beginning is their raw natural talent and the ability to determine what a good whiskey is and what is not. 
According to recent rumors, we will soon be treated to Smooth Ambler’s newest release and their first distillation – a bourbon that will be aged 3 years at 92 proof and will have a high corn mash bill.

Old Scout Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Compared to the 8 year, single barrel, 110.4 proof we last reviewed, the 7 year 99 proof was a much smoother expression and provided a more pleasant finish than the higher proof whiskey.  Believing that single barrel would carry a more distinctive taste with more flavor, we again found that the 7 year bourbon had a more complex taste that filled your mouth with sweet caramel and toffee flavors.  I wouldn't turn down either whiskey, but I feel the mood would determine which bourbon I would choose.  
  
The Four Barrels Tasting Notes:

 Nose - A youthful bourbon, smooth aromas of rye and cinnamon. Reminds me of an afternoon walk in the fields of Kentucky.  Hints of maple and caramel along with toffee.

Taste - Very smooth up front and carries the same through the middle.

Finish - A pleasant spice that does not linger to long.  Little to no burn.   

Final Thoughts:



The 99 proof and age of 7 years is a good combination that brings this high rye content to a desirable level.  Unlike most young bourbons, this 7 year is at the beginning of the "honey years" of maturity for this mashbill. 


49.5% ALC. / Vol.
99 Proof
750 ML

Retail Price $38.99 - $45.99

Aged 7 years
Barrel No. 58
Bottle Date 2-5-14

Mash bill:

60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malt 

Distillation Process;

Continuous Column distillation
General information per Smooth Ambler:

Awards:

Gold Medal, Best of Show & Best of Class, 2012
American Distilling Institute, 95 points, 2012 Wine Enthusiast
Silver Medal, 2013 San Fransisco World Spirits Competition

Smooth Amblers Tasting Notes:

Bold, sweet and spicy flavors with subtle apple, leather and cherry pipe tobacco.  Exceptionally drinkable for 99 proof.  Serve neat or use to make a helluva' cocktail.

Website: Smooth Ambler
Facebook: FB Page

Review of Belle Meade Sour Mash Whiskey Bourbon

The Four Barrels are always looking for new products to try and spirits to review.  Recently, we stumbled across a unique bourbon that – surprisingly - we had not heard of before.  Unlike many of these micro-distilleries popping up around the U.S., this bourbon has a story a 100 years in the making.

Nelson's Greenbrier Distillery was established on Rocky Fork Creek in 1867 and was acquired in 1870 by Charles Nelson of Nashville.  Nelson's first whiskey held the title “Nelson's Best”.  The distillery produced whiskey until 1909.  At that time, Tennessee enacted prohibition causing the distillery to shut down.  

In 2011, Nelson’s great-great-great grandchildren, Charles & Andy Nelson, decided to resurrect the family business.  As of now, Belle Meade is the only product they are selling.  Belle Meade Bourbon is sourced from stock bourbon produced in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, but they are currently in the process of outfitting their own distillery and rickhouse in Nashville, TN and plan to revive Charles Nelson’s recipe for Tennessee Whiskey in the coming years.
 


-High rye content (30% rye)
-90.4 proof
-Small batch – 4 hand-selected barrels per batch

Age: Unknown.  We believe from the color and taste that this bourbon is at least a four year whiskey.  Also, we know that most bourbons coming out of lawrenceburg are around 4 years old.

Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana


Four Barrels Tasting Notes: (Neat)

-Nose: Maple syrup with a hint of tobacco and smoke
-Palate: strong sweet front with vanilla.  Surprisingly sweet given the nose
-Middle: Smooth and sweet
-Finish: slight spice.  With a 30% rye mash bill, it's not that distinctive

 We would suggest you serve this bourbon neat or use for cocktails.

Final Notes:

We look forward to what the future holds for Greenbrier Distillery.  We know this is a cut-throat market but there are many bourbon sippers out there that want something other than the large corporate labels.

Good bourbon can not be cheated.  If Charles & Andy Nelson keep to their vision, they very well could rise the Greenbrier name to the very top, where it once stood.

Price Point:  $39.99  - 750ml

Nelson's Green Brier Distillery
Chas & W.A. Nelson, Proprietors
Nashville, TN

www.greenbrierdistillery.com

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Smooth Ambler Cask Strength Old Scout Single Barrel Boubon Review

Whenever I'm traveling I'm always on the lookout for hole in the wall places that I can stop find new or hard to find bourbons. Recently, I took a trip to one of my favorite eastern ski resorts, Snowshoe Mountain.  Snowshoe is located north of Lewisburg W.V.  Just north of Lewisburg is a small town called Maxwellton W.V.    Tucked away in this small town is this amazing distillery called Smooth Ambler Spirits.

The Smooth Ambler Spirits company is a micro-distillery that produces bourbon whiskey and gin.  They are a small operation, but they are starting to pack one heck of a punch.  I have seen their product now in multiple states, ranging from Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana.  Recently, I've have had local owners of stores ask about their products and what I think.   

The bourbon that I picked up in their home town was their Old Scout Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey.  At first sip, you are welcomed by strong charred oak and and hints of citrus fruit throughout.  It carries a spicy note, with a mix of vanilla and rye.  The finish is peppery which tends to hit the back sides of your tongue, creates a final touch. 

When drinking this bourbon, I couldn't help think of John Denver's, Take Me Home, Country Road song.  Why you may ask?  Because I believe that mood sets the scene and until you are able to visit the Smooth Ambler Spirits Distillery, this will help you get there.   

Though I do not live in West Virgina, I was born there and both side of my family the state.  As a bourbon lover, I have a sense of pride that such a great place can produce a good bourbon like my now adopted home Kentucky.

The Four Barrels Final Review:    4 out of 5 barrels

Old Scout Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey
55.2% AlC. / Vol.  8 years aged.  
750 ML  

Retail Price: $45-$65

Barrel No. 540
Bottle Date: 11-25-13
Bottled By Angie  "nice touch"
 


Smooth Ambler Website

MAXWELLTON, W.V.

MAXWELLTON, W.V.

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The Mile High Bourbon Club - Review of the Breckenridge Bourbon

With the overly growing demand and popularity of bourbon today, many new distilleries (micro distilleries) are popping up throughout the United States.  As we see these new producers of fine American whiskey, we also see new recipes, and methods of making bourbon. One particular distillery, which is located 9,600 ft above sea level, is the Breckenridge Distillery Company, Breckenridge, CO.  

At first look, the bottle itself is very attractive.  From a marketing standpoint, this is very important because with so many whiskeys on the market today, consumers will sometimes try a new bourbon solely on the looks alone.  There bottle labels the age even though it's below 8 years unlike most companies which do not.   Breckenridge is not afraid of letting their buyers know this.  In fact they stand behind it, knowing that such a young bourbon brings a solid punch. Next, there is a beautiful etching of the Colorado Mountains on the backside of the bottle.  Granted, looks are not everything but it can sway the consumer's decision sometimes on whether or not to buy. 

Breckenridge Bourbon Whiskey uses a high-rye mash bill, (56% Yellow Corn, 38% Green Rye, 6% un-malted barley) mixed with Rocky Mountain snowmelt in a traditional open-top Scottish fermenter and then distilled using a Vendome copper pot still.  It’s then aged in new American Oak barrels for 2 to 3 years.  For such a young bourbon you would think it would have a high scent of alcohol and little to no flavor.  In this case, you would be wrong.  The bourbon reveals a unique flavor and finish. 

So what makes this bourbon so unique and worth spending upwards to $50 dollars a bottle on a 3 to 4 year old bourbon?  I believe it to be the snowmelt water used to cut the proof.  For me, before there was bourbon there was coffee.  My pallet was refined by good coffee and what made a good coffee.  One of the biggest issues is the use of purified water or exotic water.  Water is the source of life, and the Rocky Mountains have given this bourbon a life of its own.  I fully believe the snowmelt water is what gives it an incredible smooth taste and not the bite that those would think young bourbon would give.   

There are types of bourbon for many bourbons for many occasions and the Breckenridge Bourbon is a not too overly complex or too heavy, but simply a great smooth sipping whiskey.

Awards so far:

Received one of only three gold medals awarded at the 2011 International Wine and Spirits Competition in the United Kingdom.

First Sip:	Very smooth with Oak of course, Caramel and Vanilla.  The rye helps give it strength with it being cut so thin.
Suggested way to Drink:	I highly recommend drinking this neat.  The key ingredient in this bourbon is the mountain top snowmelt water.  Adding any additional water will completely change the taste and with the ABV only being 45% it does not need to be cut any more.
Price:	Average retail price in retail stores, $40 - $50
Website:	Breckenridge Distillery Company

The Four Barrels Final Rating: 4 out of 5 barrels

You have to be young to be in the mile high club and aged at 2-3 years, Breck bourbon does it right.