Angel’s Envy is releasing their fourth expression in their limited edition Cellar Collection, and for the first time, a rye is joining the top-shelf lineup.
The release will feature a 7-year-old straight rye whiskey finished for 364 days in ice cider casks from Vermont-based Eden Specialty Ciders.
“The flavor profile of this whiskey is very unique – the spiciness of the rye is balanced by the fruity sweetness from the ice cider casks, and there’s a crispness that is really distinct. We’ve never seen a whiskey finished in ice cider casks before, so we’re excited to introduce this finish as part of our Cellar Collection,” said Kyle Henderson, Angel’s Envy Distillery Production Manager. “My brother, Andrew, was the one who found these barrels and raised the idea of an ice cider finish; he’s really championed this project from the beginning. As we tasted samples and learned more about the craftsmanship, time and resources required to create each bottle of ice cider, we fell in love with the product and the process and knew these special casks would be an excellent match for our rye.”
This will be the brand’s highest proof Cellar Collection release to date at 107 proof. On the nose, we’re told it offers notes of caramel candy apple and toasted oak, with faint notes of nuttiness and cinnamon. The palate is said to feature bold peppery and cinnamon notes accompanied by vanilla, ripe apple, toffee and butterscotch. The finish is long and transitions from spicy to sweet, with notes of brown sugar and apple with hints of earthiness and oak.
This is the brand’s first rye whiskey release since their flagship rye launched in 2013. Angel’s Envy’s rum barrel finished rye is a fan favorite, dripping with maple syrup and molasses notes and available year round.
In another first for the brand, the new limited edition bottle will come frosted (as a nod to the “ice” cider), and in a commemorative box.
“Ice cider is a dessert-style cider that is produced primarily in the northern US and Canada,” reads a press release from the distillery. “The French oak casks used to finish this Angel’s Envy release were used by Eden Specialty Ciders to create an ice cider from tart, late-season Northern Spy apples that had been naturally cold-concentrated in Vermont before partial fermentation and aging.”
The limited-edition release, which consists of just 6,000 bottles total, will be available for purchase beginning on February 25 at select retailers in NY, CA, FL, TN, IL, TX and KY, as well as at ANGEL’S ENVY’s downtown Louisville distillery for around $250. Beginning February 15th, ANGEL’S ENVY 500 Main members can enter for the chance to purchase a bottle ahead of the public sale for pickup at ANGEL’S ENVY’s distillery. A total of 500 bottles will be reserved for the 500 Main presale lottery.
