Conecuh Ridge Bourbon is a 5-year-old straight bourbon whiskey aged in charred American oak and bottled at 100.6 proof. Released in 2024 by Conecuh Brands to mark the opening of the Conecuh Ridge Distillery in Troy, Alabama, the bourbon honors the legacy of Clyde May’s original Conecuh Ridge Whiskey. A bottle retails for approximately $49.99.
Adding water integrates and rounds off the flavors, and some people will prefer to do so, but I find myself enjoying this whiskey most when I sipped it straight, all guns blazing. For a higher proof, five-year-old whiskey, this is very well put together and fairly affordable to boot.
The aroma presents with toasted grains, soft vanilla, a little cherry and oak. It's soft on the palate with some toasted sugar, roasted nuts, and barrel spices.
It feels very familiar to me, walking a line between approachable and a tad hot. There are no obvious flaws to be found, but it’s also arguably lacking a hook to make it more compelling or memorable. More than anything, I think this one probably just needs some more maturation before it potentially turns into a more interesting dram.
A pleasantly simple bourbon, there’s little to say is wrong with Clyde May’s Conecuh Ridge Bourbon. It isn’t overly exciting, but sometimes you just need a simple sipper that’s good on its own or in a cocktail.
