*Disclaimer: I was sent this Three Chord bottle for review, but no strings attached. I often don’t post about bottles I’m sent if they are unremarkable, but this one is worth reviewing!

Here we have a battle of two wine barrel “finished” bourbons. They both cost $49, and both should be pretty widely available.

Angel’s Envy) 86.6 proof. 4-6yr old blend of sourced Kentucky Bourbons. Finished in ruby port casks for 6 months.
-The Nose is fairly light and has notes of sweet vanilla, some oxidized port wine, and hint of candied peanut.
-The Palate is fairly light and sweet, with caramel-corn, maple syrup, and raisins that develops into cinnamon and a hint of cherry.
-The Finish is medium, with cinnamon raisins moving into some oak and a surprising amount of spice that lingers.
Overall, this is a perfectly fine, enjoyable, light and sweet dram that only shows spice on the finish.

Three Chord) 99 proof. Blend of 2-3 year old Green River Distilling and 5-6 year old 1792 Barton, finished for 3 months in a French Oak Pinot Noir barrel.
-The Nose is strong and fruity, with vanilla, raspberry, dark cherry, plum, and hints of sweet-corn. Very inviting nose!
-The Palate is fairly light and sweet, with caramel-corn, vanilla, dark cherry, plum, and hints of white pepper and clove.
-The Finish is medium, with sweet vanilla giving way to a little more white pepper, and subtle oak.
Overall, I really enjoy nosing this one, and the taste backs it up with a very enjoyable dram that doesn’t let the wine finish take over.

VERDICT) I’m not a huge fan of finished whiskies, but these are both bottles that do it well. The Three Chord’s awesome nose, and dark-fruit forward profile push it ahead of Angel’s Envy’s more spicy finish for me, and I crown it the winner today!

What is your favorite “finished” whiskey??