Prune | Apricot | Molasses | Rich oak | Vanilla | Hint of brown butter | Faint marshmallow | Layered

Building rye spice | Peppercorn mix | Creamy burnt caramel | Faint molasses | Spiced raisin | Brooding tannic oak

Dry oak | Burnt caramel | Prickly peppercorn spice | Touch of vanilla powder | Dry lingering heat

New Dawn Distilling is a women-led black-owned company, which is featured prominently on the bourbon’s label. The company was founded by Dawn O'Neal in 2023. The company states that “Dawn has a PhD in Ecology and is committed to combining craftsmanship with a strong social and environmental responsibility focus.” For its inaugural release, New Dawn partnered with Alton Distillery in Bethel, New York, and sourced one of the distillery’s 6 year old bourbons. The company informed us that they’ll be working with different distilleries for their future releases.  

The dark colored pour opens with a layered aroma that forces you to peel back the scents one at a time. Prune and apricot are apparent first, followed by molasses, oak, and vanilla, along with faint sweet scents. The palate is less shy, playing its hand right up front. Brooding tannic oak mixes with a build rye spice right off the bat. Burnt caramel and faint molasses join in the fray but play more supporting characters compared to the main lead. The spice carries over to the finish along with the burnt peppercorn, and everything coalesces on a dry heat that holds on for dear life. The tannic oak note in the palate comes across as too strong, and the finish is a tad dry, but overall, this is really a great start for New Dawn Distilling, and it makes me excited to try what they bring to the market in the future. Overall, this is a really interesting bourbon that New Dawn sourced from a little-known distillery in a small city in New York.