Conecuh Ridge Distillery Clyde May's Straight Bourbon Whiskey 92 proof

Some background on this.

This is an Alabama style whiskey, and is styled after a specific moonshiner's recipe named Clyde May. Apparently, what makes this an Alabama style whiskey is he used to bake apples with vanilla and cinnamon and put a few in the bottom of the whiskey barrel while it aged. I believe they continue to hold true to this based on the taste of this but not 100% sure. Being a native Alabamian about to watch the Crimson Tide today, I'm pretty excited for this one. The distillery has a lower proof bourbon that I won't be messing with. This whiskey is 92 proof/46%. This scored a 93 at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. Bottle was purchased in Nashville for about $35 if I recall. It has been opened about 3 or 4 days and is 90% full. Batch CU-079, recipe no.2

Nose: Heavy vanilla. Dark fruits. Blackberries, black grapes, ripe red apples. Very little alcohol. Very fruity, again lots of vanilla. Sweet.

Palate: Very fruity. Good balanced flavors of vanilla, butter, cinnamon, ripe caramel apples, rasberries and blackberries balanced with toasted oak and leather. Starts sweeter with the fruit and progresses to the oak and leather. Very smooth, not much spice. Sweet and fruity. It's medium bodied to an extent but the 46% abv doesn't really allow it to be rich and full and limits this dram.

Finish: Mix of red apples, butter and leather. Lingering sweetness. The red apples really stick around for a while and dominate things later in the finish.

Overall: This is fruit pie a la mode. Specifically red apple pie a la mode. Definitely a dessert dram. Even reminds me of some Speyside whiskies. It's good as it is, it has potential to be great with higher abv and fuller, richer flavors. I hope some of you can find this in your region and give it a try.

"Clyde was a true craftsmen. He wasn't in it for the money like the rest of us." - "Spooky"Jenkins, American Moonshiner.