New England Distilling Tidewalker Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Appearance: Burnt Umber. Swirling shows a thick residue on the glass, and slow-forming legs. Nose: Needs a few minutes to open up. Initially, there's a hint of paint thinner, but it improves with time. It evokes the scent of a damp, empty bourbon barrel with a warm apple pie inside. Primarily oak on the nose, with undertones of cinnamon, apples, caramel, and vanilla ice cream. It smells like a dessert. Palate: Very smooth, but lacks the sweetness detected on the nose. The primary flavor is toast, accompanied by walnuts, molasses, bitter dark chocolate, and cinnamon. It's flavorful and intricate enough to be engaging without being excessively sweet, which I often find with bourbons. Finish: Medium length. Begins with heat and sweetness, featuring chili peppers, apricots, and maple syrup, with a touch of vanilla, before becoming drier. Charred toast flavor dominates, with some oak tannins, concluding with a mild saltiness that is just right to encourage another sip. With Water: A few drops enhance the vanilla on the nose, adding a creamy quality like fresh whipped cream. The palate becomes slightly sweeter, revealing baked apples and a hint of caramel. The changes are subtle, complementing the more bitter notes. The finish's heat is also reduced, but the overall flavor profile remains largely consistent. Overall: 85/100 Final thoughts: While I don't always opt for bourbon, this is usually my choice when I do. It's undeniably the best value bourbon I've encountered. I've used it in blind tastings with friends, and it consistently ranks highly when people choose their favorites. Its quality far exceeds its price. This is likely my third bottle, with a fourth ready. It's definitely a keeper; just remember to let it breathe for a bit.

A grassy aroma with a hint of cinnamon pastry (like a churro). Soft on the palate. Wheaty. Tastes of lemongrass and white tea, with a sweet, cinnamon toast crunch finish. The finish is medium to long, transitioning to a light, green onion spice. An interesting, unconventional pour for sipping neat, but not a typical bourbon.

Served in a Cognac glass at West St Cafe, Bar Harbor, ME. The aroma is of cooked vegetables with a slight hint of cinnamon. The taste is simply terrible... I can't comprehend why they bottled this. Primarily medicinal, more vegetables... like boiled turnips. I genuinely attempted to enjoy it, but it's a definite failure for me.

The nose offers hints of orange peel, grassy notes, mellow wheat, and cinnamon spice. The palate reveals soft honey, abundant caramel flavors, and a touch of rye-like spice towards the end. Highly enjoyable.

The end is harsh with grassy and lemony tastes. It is advised to dilute it with water or an ice cube to soften the strong notes.

It showed no legs. Bold. Caramel notes dominated. It grew smoother with each sip. The finish was slick. The only flavor I detected was caramel.