clyde mays

Up for review today is Clyde May’s 10 Year Old Cask Strength Alabama Style Whiskey (try saying that name out loud five times fast). This cask strength whiskey is part of an annual limited release from Conecuh Ridge Distillery, though the whiskey is sourced from an unknown provider. After reviewing the company’s straight bourbon whiskey, I’m excited to try something with a bit more heft.

The Cask Strength releases seem to be grouped together instead of presented separately. Here’s what the Clyde May’s website has to say:

Product Specifics

• Whiskey Reviewed: Clyde May’s 10 Year Old Cask Strength Alabama Style Whiskey
• Distiller: sourced (unknown)
• Mashbill: unknown
• Bottler: Conecuh Brands
• Age: 10 years
• ABV: 57% / 114 proof
• Aged in: Charred American Oak barrels

Appearance

Clyde May’s 10 Year Cask Strength comes bottled in a truly unique bottle. Though the shape is nothing to behold on its own, the label is a thick, deeply debossed, and feels heavy and metalic (something like copper). It certainly makes a statement.

In the bottle, the whiskey itself is a deep auburn color, almost like Cherry wood. In the glass, the color is a lighter amber with some darker copper tones.

Nose

The nose packs a bit of heat (don’t inhale too quickly) but releases tantalizing aromas. Notes of vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar and fresh cut apples with a base aroma of freshly baked bread.

Palate

Everything I want in a cask strength spirit. On entry, the 10 Year Cask Strength is smooth but assertive, with brown sugar, caramel and vanilla flavors. As the liquid pools on the tongue, flavor blooms (with a touch of heat). Bright notes of toasted oak, lots of rye spice, black pepper, and some fruit notes expand and overwhelm.

It’s a great flavor profile.

Finish

Long, strong, and slowly fading, with a decent amount of ethanol burn. Really enjoyable though, with lingering flavors of sweet bread, oak, and some chocolate. As the finish fades, it’s surprisingly clean, leaving none of the circus peanut sweetness behind that many bourbons leave.

Conclusion

Clyde May’s 10 Year Old Cask Strength is, in my view, a winner. It doesn’t achieve the same finesse or complexity that my favorite single malts do, but it gets close. What I most appreciate is how this whiskey weaves together a complex bouquet of flavors that seem remarkably well matched.  At $160, this whiskey is an investment, but a worthy one.

Final Score: 91

Disclaimer: though not my first bottle of Clyde May’s whiskey, the bottle reviewed was gifted by Clyde May’s. Though appreciative, I retain all rights to speak my mind.

Up for review today is Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a whiskey from Conecuh Ridge Distillery. Clyde May, the namesake for this brand, was a legendary Alabama bootlegger famous for his moonshine which was reportedly of a higher quality than other moonshines at the time (this could be saying a lot or a little, depending on your perspective).

If you’re a fan of company backstories, I highly recommend reading about Clyde May’s on their wikipedia page. If you’re too lazy to click the link or have some kind of grudge against Wikipedia (jerk), here are some fun facts about the brand:

Fun fact I: Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey (characterized by adding oven-dried apples to the barrels used to age the whiskey) was designated the official “Stage Spirit” of Alabama by the state legislature in 2014.

Fun fact II: in September of 2017, the company announced plans to build a new distillery in Troy, Alabama, roughly 20 miles from where Clyde May originally made his whiskey.

To me, Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey is interesting in particular because it’s so controversial. Some reviewers enjoy it, others hate it (even if they wouldn’t use those exact words).

Here’s my take.

Product Specifics

• Whiskey Reviewed: Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Distiller: Conecuh Ridge Distillery
• Age: Five years
• ABV: 46% (92 proof)

If you’re a whiskey enthusiast, one fact to be aware of is that this is a sourced whiskey, with some speculation on the blogosphere that it may be from Heaven Hill.

Appearance

Love it or hate it, you’ve gotta admit that Conecuh Ridge Distillery knows how to brand a product. Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon comes packaged in a classic shaped bottle with a vintage paper label. Great color selection as well – the read and blue elements really play well off of each other.

The whiskey itself is a golden corn color with a twinge of amber.

Nose

The nose is inviting, with predominant butter and caramel notes, along with a touch of vanilla. It’s a fairly standard nose as far as bourbons go, but it has a nice weight to it that cheaper bourbons don’t have. It’s also low on ethanol burn which is a plus.

Palate

Clyde May’s bourbon hits the palate gently but immediately (and somewhat aggressively) blossoms. The flavor profile kicks off with a round, buttered caramel and vanilla note that is then complemented by peanuts, rye, and a dash of cinnamon powder. Quite enjoyable.

Finish

The finish, though decently long, has a bit more ethanol burn than I like and lingers in a way I don’t entirely enjoy. The sweetness that worked so well initially a twist of bitterness that doesn’t conclude the experience as well as a cleaner or perhaps spicier finish would.

Conclusion

Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an enjoyable bourbon, though by no means a perfect one. At $40 a bottle, it faces competition from some pretty spectacular bourbons. If you’re a bourbon drinker and looking to expand outside of some of the more standard expressions on the market, give Clyde May’s Bourbon a try.

Final Score: 87

Disclaimer: though not my first bottle of Clyde May’s whiskey, the bottle reviewed today was gifted by Clyde May’s. Though we’re appreciative, we retain full rights to speak our mind.