Clyde May's Straight Bourbon

Here I was hoping that, after trying Clyde May's American whiskey with the added apples, that this would be simply that but without the apples. Now I learn that it's aged 1 year less (why) and uses a hell of a lot of corn (bourbon is sweet enough as it is, chill on the extra corn). My hopes weren't originally high for this anyway, but if it's still a sourced MGP product, than at least the grain flavors should have no trouble shining through. Just like the American whiskey, the color is darker than is to be expected for only 5 years (God bless charred barrels). Thankfully, the rye scent leads, with cinnamon and some bananas foster, which I believe is also coming from the heavy corn. Moderate vanilla and less caramel are here from the barrel, ending with a basic corn syrup note. The scent is very similar to the American whiskey, so perhaps it truly is the same mashbill but without the apples. The body is light and watery, and has to be swished and swallowed before any flavor is acquired. Sweet corn and vanilla are present at first, with a more herbal side of rye present, while the spicier notes simultaneously dig into the guns (although only at a very shallow surface level). Barrel spice is present, but again, a little weak, with the grain surprisingly contributing the majority of the sweetness. The finish is slightly spicy, but still watery, and has a moderate charcoal note alongside some raw grain (somehow). This was indeed not a winner. This is a plastic bottle bourbon, a craft brand to rival Heaven Hill's "Quality House." I can tell potential is here, but nobody really wanted to go any further than to get something in a barrel and then into a bottle, and for me, it was easy to tell. Thankfully, this does allow just grains and oak to be the only flavors tasted without the addition of apples like the American whiskey, so this is better for a purist whiskey profile than that, but the lack of effort takes away a lot of character that is truly missed.

First notes on the nose are brown sugar, vanilla, and oak spice. Subtle hints of green apple and black pepper are also apparent. First tasting brought out a lot of the sweet notes with the brown sugar and vanilla taking center stage on the roof of the mouth and the oak and pepper hitting the throat very mildly. The flavors do not linger very long unfortunately, but are very pleasant nonetheless. The second sip was a blast of vanilla that lingered much longer with the brown sugar also appearing. At a higher proof this pour may be worthy of the hefty price, but for what it is, there are far better bourbons for less cost, but this is still a good pour. Overall: Nose - 3/5 Taste: 3.75/5 Overall - 3.5/5 Rebuy: Not at the current price Type: Friday Night Pour

Round 2 of drinking this straight. It primarily turned into a cocktail whiskey for me in between rounds. I still get a lot of ethanol on the nose for only 92 proof. I also get some sweetness on the nose, but it’s a little more like molasses now. Bottle has been open for 9 months now which seems to have done it some good. Still relatively simple. There’s a little more fruitiness and sweetness up front. Cherry and vanilla maybe? Followed by the more distinctive leather and coffee grounds. Not the smoothest drink. Finish is actually not bad and seems pretty long actually. If it was a little less bitter, the finish would be great. Smoke flavor at the end.

MGP product? Harsh to the nose. (Neat) Sweet at first taste then the bite. Like the dark color and deep char but didn’t mellow out as I would have thought. Not sure if 12% rye is considered a “high rye” mash but it may account for the hot bite. (Melted cube) even sweeter, still a noticeable bite but mellowed. Probably a good old fashioned but will ENJOY this with some ice until gone. Was a gift so not sure of price. Still learning this stuff so any opinions on above plz share.

Nose: Brown sugar Palate: Vanilla, more brown sugar, cinnamon Finish: Short to medium finish, a bit dry but a typical sweet finish with a kick of cinnamon thanks to the 92 proof. Honestly a pretty middle-of-the-road sipper, it offers more of a finish thanks to a couple extra proof points but nothing special about this one.

At first very ripe fruits, slight vanilla, and light brown sugar. Sharp, oaky, and malty mid. Slight spicy with a mineral finish. Definitely a different bourbon but far from my favorite. A muted bourbon that doesnt taste much like a bourbon, reminds me of a malt whisky with light brown sugar and spice.