Angel’s Envy Distillery Spotlight

There are so many distilleries across America, and few are as special as Angel’s Envy. This Kentucky distillery is in the heart of bourbon country, and it truly shows. All of their straight bourbon whiskey is finished slightly differently to give unique flavor and a complex sip to each bottle they put out. Let’s learn more about Angel’s Envy and what makes it so special.

When Was the Distillery Opened?

The work on the Angel’s Envy Distillery began in 2013 and was finished up in 2016. While this distillery isn’t a long-standing player in the bourbon industry, it’s been putting out some incredible bourbons since its first barrel. This distillery did, however bring new life to downtown Louisville with its influx of jobs 

Why Choose Angel’s Envy Distillery?

Angel’s Envy makes use of a critical aging technique, called “double maturation” to finish their batches of bourbon. Depending on the bottle you pick up, your bourbon might have been aged in Port barrels, Sherry casks, Rum barrels, or others – or maybe even a combination thereof! Angel’s Envy spirits are also award-winning and artisanal in nature, making them a premium product that bourbon connoisseurs will certainly appreciate.

Spirits Produced by Angel’s Envy Distillery

There are many different bourbons produced by Angel’s Envy, and they’re all slightly different. Depending on your favorite flavors, you might choose one of the ones below:

Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Port Finish

This is a cleverly produced bourbon that is blended twice – once before the second finishing and once after. Angel’s Envy says that this helps them get the tasting profile just right before bottling. According to them, the port-finished bourbon is versatile and can be enjoyed neat, iced, or in cocktails.

“NOSE

Subtle vanilla, raisins, maple syrup and toasted nuts

PALATE

Vanilla, ripe fruit, maple syrup, toast and bitter chocolate

FINISH

Clean and lingering sweetness with a hint of Madeira that slowly fades”

• Angel’s Envy

Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Tawny Port Finish

Much like the port finish, this bourbon has a certain versatility to it. However, there is more complexity due to its ten-month aging finish in tawny oak barrels. This bourbon is aged for a total of ten years.

“NOSE

Dry fruit and oak

PALATE

Black pepper, toasted nuts, clove and delicate cinnamon spice with a hint of dried apricot

FINISH

Light and lingering, reminiscent of dried fruit dipped in dark chocolate”

• Angel’s Envy

Rye Finished in Rum Barrels

This delicious, smooth rye whiskey finishes in Caribbean rum barrels for about 18 months, making it incredibly unique and “worthy of Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson’s legacy.”

“NOSE

Aromas of citrus, caramel candy, maple sugar, vanilla, oak, hazelnut, spice and sherry wood

PALATE

Sweet rum, sherry wood, and soft oak

FINISH

Both sweet and dry, as well as quick and easy”

• Angel’s Envy

Cocktail Recipes with Angel’s Envy Spirits

We always love to see on-page cocktail recipes on a distillery’s site. This means the team has really sat down and thought about their spirits’ flavor profiles and come up with cocktails that pair well with them. You can see the recommended cocktails for their different spirits here.

Angel’s Envy’s Distillation Process

Angel’s Envy has a very traditional distillation process, but the aging process is where they really stand out. They age their whiskey for 4-6 years in new, charred American white oak barrels, then blend their bourbons to meet the profile they’re looking for. But it doesn’t stop there.

Angel’s Envy finishes their whiskey and bourbon in a variety of different barrels. Their port-finished bourbon, for example, is aged in Portugal-sourced Port wine barrels for up to six more months. 

“There’s no set time for this final finishing process, it’s only Angel’s Envy when we say it is.”

• Angel’s Envy

But Why Port Barrels?

Angel’s Envy was one of the first distilleries to experiment with Port aging for whiskey – they based this idea on Scotch whiskey being finished this way. Why wouldn’t it work for bourbon, too? Luckily, it matched what they wanted in their flavor profile, and they’ve been making that bourbon ever since.

Where to Find Angel’s Envy’s Spirits

Due to the fact that Angel’s Envy is a smaller distillery, it can sometimes be hard to find their products. However, when you do find a bottle, you can trust it’s high-quality and delicious! You can find their spirits for delivery on their website, but they can’t ship to some states.

Their products “can be shipped to: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming”

The Distillery Crew

The father and son team of Lincoln and Wes Henderson founded Angel’s Envy and have built it into the success that it is. Production manager, Kyle Henderson, is in charge of certain operations at the distillery, as well as spreading the news about how amazing Angel’s Envy is!

Connor Henderson is the lead aging warehouse & processing operator, making sure the barrels get rotated and tested in their own due time. He also serves as a firefighter at the La Grange Fire Department.

Tours, Events, & Classes

Angel’s Envy offers many different tours for visitors – because who doesn’t want to see how their favorite bourbon is made and aged! They offer the following tours, events, and classes:

Tours

1-hour signature tours for $25 per person, available daily.

1-hour private tours for $45 per person, available daily.

45-minute “taste the finish” tours for $30, reservations required.

1-hour “bottle your own single barrel” tours for $149.99, select Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays, reservations required.

Learn more & book: Tours

Events & Classes

The Manhattan Cocktail Class, offered monthly.

The Rye Cocktail Class, offered monthly.

Behind the Bar Cocktail Class, offered monthly.

Learn more & book: Classes & Experiences

Operating Hours for Tours and Visits:

Angel’s Envy Distillery hours are as follows. Be sure to contact them to see if hours are altered on holidays or during other events. 

Tuesday, Noon-5pm ; Wednesday, 10am-5pm ; Thursday, 10am-7pm ; Friday, 10am-8pm ; Saturday, 10am-8pm.

Distillery Location & Directions

Angel’s Envy Distillery is located in downtown Louisville, KY. To get to their location, use GPS navigation with the following address or use our Google Maps feature below.

500 E. Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Visit Angel’s Envy Distillery Today!

So, what are you waiting for? Check out Angel’s Envy Distillery today or order some of their award-winning spirits online right now. We know you won’t be disappointed.