Review: Angel's Envy Rye

Angel's Envy Rye Whiskey

Angel's Envy Rye is a relatively new and somewhat limited offering. It comes to us from the Henderson family who launched the Angel's Envy brand. Similar to their bourbon offering, the AE Rye takes what would likely be a relatively standard whiskey and gives it a unique finish. In this case, they have taken a 6 year rye (95% rye, 5% malted barley) and finish it for up to 18 months in Caribbean rum casks. Their website can be found here and it offers a good amount of information on the product as well as the brand.

Angel's Envy Rye - Tasting Notes

Nose: If you didn't know this was finished in rum casks before, the nose leaves little doubt. Powerful maple syrup smell that is only amplified when the glass is empty. Looking a little deeper the nose offers some coconut and very faint hints of spice behind that.


Palate: Slightly sweet on entry but the 95% rye mashbill is what shines. The rum presence doesn't disappear, but it plays the role of the Miami Sound Machine to the rye's Gloria Estefan.

Finish: Slight spice, but not much burn. The cinnamon spice of the rye lingers while a slight presence of the rum finish returns. A relatively short, but enjoyable finish.

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Price: $70

I was first introduced to this at a whiskey tasting in Metro Detroit. My enjoyment of the pour quickly had a wet blanket thrown over it as I found out it isn't available in-state (which is a recurring theme in Michigan). Luckily I had a couple out-of-state trips around the corner where I was lucky enough to track down a bottle. Overall this a really tasty and unique sipper. I'd like to see the price come down a bit but the whiskey market prices don't appear to be slowing down any time soon. This one is definitely worth trying and is a great change of pace if you've got a sweet-tooth.

Angel's Envy Rye Rating: 8.7/10