Clyde May's 11 Year Cask Strength Alabama-Style Whiskey

I truly loved the 10 year old... let's see if my memory is accurate and if this one is worth the $140 price tag. Okay, so this Alabama-style product implies they're flavoring it with apples. Let's find out. Aroma - very alcohol-forward; the 120 proof doesn't reflect this. I'm getting butterscotch, vanilla, and yes, perhaps some orchard fruit. Many alcohol notes alongside a toasted oak note. My initial impression is it might be a bit sweeter than some, but generally classic light whiskey aromas. Maybe there are some apple notes present, but not many. Taste - my immediate thought was "MGP light whiskey." That's really all I'm thinking. Vanilla, custard, butterscotch, and a very sweet fruity note upfront. But honestly, if tasted blind, I'd just assume it's 11-13 year old MGP light whiskey, and I'd generally say this one is a bit more on the buttery, sweet, viscous side compared to some that are thinner and more spirit-forward. Overall, I'm really enjoying this one. But I do like light whiskey. That said, $140 was far too much for this, and it doesn't remind me of the 10 year old, which I really enjoyed. I'd skip this one. Rated 2.5 stars. It will sit on my shelves for years, but I'm not overly upset about having it.

I had to buy this since I'd passed on it a couple of times before. Aroma: Sweet pear and Granny Smith apples appear immediately. It doesn't smell like a true bourbon to me. The aroma isn't very strong either. Perhaps a tiny bit of vanilla, but I might be trying too hard to find some classic bourbon notes. Taste: Extremely hot at first. Lots and lots of spice. As it calms down, I detect some walnuts and, of course, a bit of apple. Finish: The spice returns and lingers endlessly. Right at the end, I get an unexpectedly overripe apple, the kind that's too sweet and turning brown. Overall: It's good and incredibly unique, but lacks depth. I believe the prevalent spice was mostly ethanol. However, it's not terrible! It's not worth the $99 price tag to me.

Served neat, this spirit is warming. I was seeking traditional bourbon characteristics, but this is an Alabama Whiskey. Therefore, the notes were more fruit-forward, unlike a scotch (Speyside). I mean there were some fruity notes, rather than vanilla or sugar notes. The finish is prolonged, concluding with a medicinal touch. Water is beneficial for this one. A few drops of water provided a very pleasant sweet cinnamon aroma. Next time, I'll use an ice cube to observe its development.

A strong burn smooths out nicely with abundant sweet roasted caramel. The person who offered it absolutely disliked it. The burn does dominate and subsides in the aftertaste.

Incredibly smooth. Excellent flavor.

Sweet, oaky, and delightful.