In 2021, there was one single barrel at Mission that stood out from all of the casks we purchased that year. While we had a number of fantastic selections, we received more positive feedback about our single barrel of Angel’s Envy than any other single cask exclusive we offered. Now that we’re a quarter of the way into 2022, I think there’s a good chance for history to repeat itself. Our second barrel is another stunner.
Getting to nose the actual empty European oak wine barrel that our latest Angel’s Envy single barrel release was finished in really offered an insight into its flavor profile. More than any expression I’ve ever tasted personally, this unique iteration is the least wine-y I’ve come across, which is exactly why we selected it for the store. The sweet, red-fruited character of Angel’s Envy is available any day of the week in the standard edition, so grab that bottle if it’s dessert Bourbon you’re after. The singular experience offered in Mission’s 4120 barrel is a richer, fuller, oakier expression of Angel’s Envy that goes heavy on the European oak spice, not so much the wine.
The color is a dark reddish amber and the weight of the whiskey is full-bodied, but rather than that kiss of sweetness we’ve come to expect from Angel’s Envy, the initial flavors are dark chocolate, incense, brandied cherries, and cigar box. Everything about the Bourbon’s profile prepares your palate for an onslaught of sweetness, but it’s completely held in check by the whiskey’s 110 proof power. Even at 55% ABV, it’s entirely sippable—a testament to the supreme drinkability that European oak wine barrels impart.
But the most exciting part of this single barrel expression is the insight it offers into the nature of the Angel’s Envy juice itself, without all the wine influence. I’ve never tasted a clearer and more delicious version of that whiskey until now.
-David Driscoll