John AP Conoley Bourbon

Nose: Ethanol, grains, with a few drops of water revealing tobacco and leather. Palate: A very artificial vanilla cake frosting – not the good kind. It resembles frosting from a cheap grocery store cake. Finish: Short finish with some oak and cinnamon, but after repeated pours, it becomes a little bitter and tannic. This craft spirit from North Carolina's Bogue Sound Distillery is not a straight bourbon whiskey, hinting at its likely young age. It shows a lot of promise with its sweet profile, but the flaws from this young spirit are too obvious for it to be an acceptable neat pour.

The North Carolina distillery caught my eye at the store, so I decided to try it, especially for the price – $25 for a fifth. It's a great day; it has an aftertaste that shifts between cinnamon, licorice, and mulberry. I drank the first pour over ice. Then I used it in a whiskey sour; both times it didn't suit me. That aftertaste is awful to me, but for $25, there are better values that taste like bourbon, not flavored bourbon. Perhaps the age statement played a role, but... For the price, just get some EW BIB.

Dark amber in color, likely with added coloring. The nose is strongly scented with spices (cloves), vanilla, and caramel. It lacks significant complexity, which is understandable for a 2-year-old bourbon. I don't believe it would be ideal for mixing but is quite acceptable for sipping over ice. Being a local product gives it an advantage. I met the individuals who produced it, and I sense their dedication, leading me to anticipate (and hope for) improvements in their efforts over time.

The nose offers a pleasant buttery caramel aroma. The palate has a very intense burn, possibly from cinnamon, baking spice, or rye, but it's extremely overwhelming. Adding a small amount of water completely alters the palate profile, making it sweet and vanilla-like with just a faint spice note at the very end.

A fine, young bourbon. Notes of caramel, fruit, and alcohol on the nose. The palate is somewhat softer than the nose, but retains the caramel and green fruit characteristics. I had the pleasure of meeting the distillery owners today and am very enthusiastic about their Bottled-in-Bond and future aged expressions.

Young, sweet, with heavy gingerbread and baking spice notes. At 52.5% ABV, it has some warmth but isn't harsh. Not bad, especially for a 2-year-old at $26.