Angel’s Envy 2023 Cask Strength Rye Finished in Sauternes and Toasted Oak Barrels

This is a rye with a sweet tooth. Angel's Envy finished its 2023 cask strength release in Sauternes barrels and toasted oak, and the effect is immediate: orchard fruit and honey sit right at the front, round and generous, before the grain reasserts itself.

Underneath that sweetness is a proper rye backbone. Vanilla softens the transition, then peppery rye spice and toasted oak pull the whole thing tight at the close. Undiluted at 114.4 proof, it drinks warm rather than hot, with enough weight to stand up to a large cube if you want the fruit to open further.

Kentucky rye at barrel strength can be a blunt instrument. This one isn't. The wine-cask influence gives it a plush, almost dessert-like edge that makes it approachable neat, while the proof keeps it from turning soft. A 750 mL bottle worth keeping within reach rather than saving for an occasion.