▁Wh is key ▁began ▁searching ▁for ▁a ▁dist illery ▁site ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Character ▁ ▁C one cu h ▁R idge ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁an ▁" Al abama ▁Style ▁T ipp ling ▁Wh is key ", ▁a ▁rather ▁im prec ise ▁design ation ▁which ▁basically ▁means ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁pattern ed ▁after ▁the ▁spirits ▁that ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁available ▁at ▁inform al ▁" ti pp ling ▁houses ". ▁C ly de ▁May ▁used ▁spring ▁water ▁from ▁Southern ▁Alabama ▁and ▁added ▁o ven - d ried ▁app les ▁to ▁his ▁bar rel s . ▁The ▁resulting ▁hints ▁of ▁green ▁apple ▁and ▁c inn am on ▁not ▁only ▁made ▁it ▁sm o other ▁than ▁other ▁whis keys — they ’ re ▁what ▁made ▁it ▁Alabama ▁Style . ▁It ▁is ▁then ▁aged ▁for ▁five ▁to ▁six ▁years ▁in ▁heavy - to ast ▁char red ▁white ▁o ak ▁bar rel s . ▁ ▁Awards ▁C ly de ▁May ' s ▁Wh is key ▁won ▁Best ▁of ▁Category , ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁at ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁International ▁Sp ir its ▁Compet ition ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁C ly de ▁May ' s ▁Wh is key ▁won ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁for ▁taste ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Micro L iqu or ▁Spirit ▁Awards . ▁ ▁C ly de ▁May ' s ▁Wh is key ▁scored ▁ 9 3 ▁points ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Ult imate ▁Sp ir its ▁Challenge . ▁ ▁C ly de ▁May '