J. Henry La Flamme Reserve 5 Year Bourbon Armagnac Finish is a 113.5-proof (56.75% ABV), 750ml Wisconsin bourbon finished for eight months in imported French Armagnac casks. Built on a rare heirloom red corn variety developed at the University of Wisconsin in 1939, this barrel-strength expression stands apart from conventional finished bourbons through its distinctly Midwestern grain bill and Old World cask influence.Quick Facts: ABV: 56.75% (113.5 proof) | Origin: New Richmond, Wisconsin, USA | 5 Years, 8-Month Armagnac Cask Finish | Distillery: 45th Parallel DistilleryProduction & Heritage45th Parallel Distillery in New Richmond, Wisconsin, produces La Flamme Reserve using a four-grain mashbill of 64% Red Heirloom Corn, 14% Heirloom Glacier Winter Wheat, 14% Heirloom Spooner Rye, and 8% malted barley. All heirloom grains are sourced regionally, with the red corn tracing its lineage to a 1939 University of Wisconsin agricultural program. The bourbon ages for five years in a historic Wisconsin barn under uncontrolled temperature conditions, meaning the dramatic seasonal swings—brutal winters and humid summers—drive aggressive interaction between spirit and oak. Hand-selected barrels then receive an additional eight-month finish in Armagnac casks imported directly from France, layering a distinctly Gascon dried-fruit character over the grain-forward bourbon base.Tasting NotesAroma: The nose opens with warm cinnamon and chili powder spice before revealing golden raisin, soft tobacco leaf, and a backdrop of toasted cornbread. At full proof, a second pass brings out richer dried stone fruit and a subtle grape-brandy sweetness from the Armagnac casks.Taste: The entry is bold and grain-rich, with cornbread sweetness and vanilla hitting immediately. Mid-palate, the Armagnac influence emerges as baked apple and dark raisin compote, woven through with cinnamon red-hot candy intensity. At barrel strength, oak tannins provide firm structure without bitterness, and drops of water open up more wheat-derived softness and a hint of baking spice.Finish: Long and warming, with cinnamon pie crust, dried fruit, and lingering oak char tapering slowly. A faint tobacco and black pepper note closes things out, reinforcing the complexity that the dual-aging regimen delivers.How to Drink La Flamme ReserveAt 113.5 proof, this bourbon rewards patient neat sipping—start undiluted to appreciate the full grain character, then add a few drops of water to unlock the Armagnac-driven fruit notes. It also handles ice well without losing structure. For cocktails, La Flamme Reserve brings real depth to an Old Fashioned, where the cinnamon and dried-fruit notes amplify the classic bitters pairing. It makes a rich, complex Manhattan, as the Armagnac finish echoes the vermouth’s grape-based sweetness in a way standard bourbons cannot. A Boulevardier is another natural fit—the barrel-strength backbone stands up to Campari’s bitterness while the baked fruit layers add welcome complexity.Best For
Bourbon enthusiasts exploring barrel-finished or heirloom-grain expressions
Gifting a whiskey collector who appreciates small-batch, farm-to-bottle production
After-dinner sipping alongside dessert courses or a good cigar
Side-by-side tastings comparing American finished bourbons against standard releases
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does La Flamme Reserve taste like? La Flamme Reserve delivers a rich interplay of cornbread sweetness, cinnamon spice, baked apple, and golden raisin, with firm oak tannins and a long, warming finish shaped by its Armagnac cask maturation.How does La Flamme Reserve compare to Angel’s Envy? Both are finished bourbons, but they diverge significantly: Angel’s Envy uses a traditional corn-rye-barley mashbill finished in port barrels at 86.6 proof, yielding a sweeter, fruit-forward profile, while La Flamme Reserve is a barrel-strength four-grain bourbon finished in Armagnac casks, resulting in more spice intensity, higher proof, and a drier, brandy-influenced fruit character.Is La Flamme Reserve good for sipping neat? Yes—despite its 113.5 proof, the heirloom grain complexity and Armagnac cask influence provide enough depth and balance to reward careful neat exploration, though a splash of water helps open the softer fruit and wheat notes.Where is La Flamme Reserve made? La Flamme Reserve is distilled and aged at 45th Parallel Distillery in New Richmond, Wisconsin, a craft operation that grows and sources heirloom grains from the surrounding region.What foods pair well with La Flamme Reserve? Aged cheddar or Gruyère highlight the oak and spice; dark chocolate mirrors the dried-fruit and cinnamon notes; smoked pork belly or duck breast match the bourbon’s bold proof and savory tobacco undertones; and apple tart or bread pudding echo the baked-fruit character imparted by the Armagnac finish.What sizes does La Flamme Reserve come in? La Flamme Reserve is available in the standard 750ml bottle size.Is La Flamme Reserve worth the price? La Flamme Reserve positions as a premium craft bourbon, and its combination of barrel-strength proof, heirloom grain provenance, imported Armagnac cask finishing, and hand-selected single-barrel character provides strong justification within the upper tier of American finished whiskeys.Why La Flamme Reserve?Very few American bourbons combine a heritage grain program with authentic French Armagnac barrel finishing at cask strength. The 1939-origin red heirloom corn delivers a grain complexity that commodity corn simply cannot replicate, and the wild temperature swings of Wisconsin’s uncontrolled barn aging accelerate wood interaction in ways that climate-controlled rickhouses do not. The eight-month Armagnac finish adds a Gascon dimension—dried grape, subtle brandy sweetness, baking spice—that distinguishes La Flamme Reserve from the more common port- and sherry-finished bourbons crowding the market. For drinkers seeking a bourbon that reflects genuine terroir and an unconventional finishing approach at full barrel proof, this expression delivers a rare convergence of craft, place, and technique.