Have you ever wondered about the man behind the Bogue Sound Distillery whiskey label?

John Alexander Patterson Conoley (John A.P. Conoley) was a man who possessed perseverance, strength, and a life full of adventures.  On July 22, 1861 A.P Conoley left his life as a farmer and enlisted in Company D of Second North Carolina Cavalry, which was attached to General J.E.B. Stuart’s famous Cavalry Corps in the army of Northern Virginia.

During his enlistment, he fought in some of the most important battles and campaigns in the war such as Gettysburg, Fredericks, the Wilderness, and many of the encounters and struggles of Richmond. His efforts did not go unnoticed and he was promoted from Private to Major.

At one point, his success almost ended abruptly, when he was knocked senseless by the concussion of an exploding shell. His comrades thought that he was dead and discarded his body into a pit.  He landed face-up in a pool of water, where he laid until he regained consciousness.

From there, John A.P. Conoley found himself in the care of a union nurse named Vitzellen. Read her story and learn about the origins of Vizellen Vodka.  Later, John was captured by the enemy but was eventually exchanged unharmed.

At the end of the war, he resumed farming for three years. He then spent four years in the turpentine industry before returning to the farm, where he remained until his death on October 25, 1904.

 John A.P Conoley Bourbon Whiskey, like its namesake, embodies the flavor of a life well-lived with many stories to tell.  Stop by Bogue Sound Distillery to see more of John’s history, tour the distillery and taste a bit of history in John A.P Conoley Bourbon Whiskey.