I state in my Statement of Ethics that if I accept a review sample, I will disclose it at the beginning of the article. Please consider it disclosed. I’d like to thank Clyde May's for providing this sample to me with no strings attached.
What are we reviewing tonight?
A Kentucky bourbon, named for a moonshiner whose claim to fame is making an "Alabama-style" whiskey, which is then bottled by a Florida company.
Ok. Seems fair enough. Quick question, though. What's an "Alabama-Style" whiskey?
According to the literature the producer sent to me, it's aged whiskey that had dried apples in the barrel along with the spirit, essentially an apple flavored whiskey.
Does that mean we are reviewing a flavored whiskey?
Nope. We're reviewing a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that happened to be produced by the same company, under the same brand.
Why?
Why what? Why did they use the same brand or why are we reviewing it?
Second one.
Well, they were nice enough to send me a bottle. I was intrigued by the fact that it was non-chill filtered even though it was under 100 proof. And I liked that they didn't claim they distilled it. They followed the law and named the state of distillation on the label. All good things.
Ok. Is it any good?
Yes. See below.
Clyde May's Straight Bourbon
Purchase Info: Bottle provided by the producer for review purposes. Suggested retail price is $39.99.
Details: 46% ABV. Non-Chill Filtered. NAS though the provided literature claims 5 years.
Nose: Mint, Juicyfruit gum, oak
Mouth: Sweet and minty with a nice bit of oak tannins along the sides and back of the tongue.
Finish: Warm and of medium length. Lingering oak tannins and baking spices.
Thoughts: This is a decent bourbon. It reminds me a bit of something from the Ezra Brooks line, which sort of makes me wonder if it didn't start life as a Heaven Hill product. As such, you may be uncomfortable spending $40 on a bottle. But I like it. And as it's competitive with many other sourced bourbons, I can see myself spending the money on it every once in a while.
BourbonGuy.com accepts no advertising. It is solely supported by the sale of the hand-made products I sell at the BourbonGuy Gifts Etsy store. If you'd like to support BourbonGuy.com, visit BourbonGuyGifts.com. Thanks!