John AP Conoley Bourbon

Nose: Ethanol, grains, with a few drops of water bring out tobacco and leather Palate: A very artificial vanilla cake frosting- not the good kind. It's reminiscent of frosting from a cheap grocery store cake Finish: Short finish with some oak and cinnamon but upon repeated pours a little bitter, tannic finish This craft spirit from North Carolina's Bogue Sound Distillery is not a straight bourbon whiskey which hints at its probable young age. There is a lot of potential here with the sweet profile however the flaws from this young whiskey are too glaring for it to be a passable neat pour.

the nc distillery caught my eye in the store so i decided to give it a go esp for the price. 25 for a fifth. Great day it has an aftertaste that goes between cinnamon to licorice to mulberry. I drank the first pour over ice. Then i used it in a whiskey sour both times it did not suit me. That aftertaste to me is awful but for 25 bucks there are better values which taste like bourbon not flavored bourbon. Maybe the age statement had something to do with it but....For the price just get some EW BIB

Dark Amber in color, color added I’m sure. Nose is strong with spices (cloves), vanilla and caramel. No real complexity to it but that wouldn’t be expected in a 2 yr old bourbon. I don’t think it would mix well but it’s not too bad sipping over a piece of ice. It’s local for me so I’ll give it an extra point for that. I met the folks that build it and I feel their heart is in the right place and I expect (hope) to see their efforts improve over time.

On the nose it has a buttery caramel smell that is quite pleasant. On the palate it has a very harsh burn not sure if it is cinnamon, baking spice, or rye but it is extremely overpowering. When you add a little splash of water the profile on the palate changes completely and becomes sweet and vanillay with only a slight hint of spice at the very end.

A good, young bourbon. Caramel, fruit, and alcohol on the nose. Pallette is a bit softer than the nose, but carries the caramel and green fruit notes. I met the owners of the distillery today, and I'm quite excited about their BIB and older offerings to come.

Young, sweet, heavy gingerbread and baking spice, and at 52.5% ABV it’s got a little warmth, but not harsh. Not bad, especially for a 2 year old @ $26.