As mentioned in the February 18, 2024, blog posting, I decided to start a new series that explores some of my favorite distilleries that I believe deserve a bit more attention. Those highlighted distillery write-ups will then be followed by several reviews of their products with the hope this will cause others to broaden their selections and seek some of these gems out. Thus, this is the first of nine highlights to focus on the Redwood Empire Distillery, with today’s review of Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey.

Bottle Information

From the Redwood Empire Whiskey website: Named for the 14th tallest tree on the planet, Pipe Dream is our first Bourbon whiskey. Pipe Dream Bourbon is made from barrels aged between four and twelve years with a high corn mash bill. Smooth and complex, it is a true sipping whiskey.

• Distiller: Bottled by Redwood Empire Distilling (Distilled in California, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee)
• Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 21% Raw Rye, 4% Malted Barley
• Proof: 90
• Age: 4-12 Years Old
• Year: 2023
• MSRP: $40
• 2024 National Average: $52
• Official Website

Unfortunately, I have only found two stores in about a 45-mile radius that carry their product in NoCo, and it is very hit or miss when they are actually on the shelf. Thankfully, the distillery has started to ship directly to Colorado, yet funny enough, I have yet to successfully order anything from them as new products sell out extremely quickly. Overall, this is a solid middle-of-the-road simplistic bourbon with your classic notes mixed with a delightful fruitiness. For this bottle, I prefer a pour over ice and in my opinion, it increases the rating to a Mix It!/Drink It! With that said, let’s get our taste on!

• Nose: Vanilla, Oak, Fruitiness (Strawberry or Pear), Caramel, and Honey
• Palate: A Thin Mouth Feel with Notes of French Vanilla, Caramel, Strawberry, Nuttiness, Spice, and Oak
• Finish: Short to Medium with Notes of Vanilla and Dry Oak
• My Rating: Mix It! (A solid middle-of-the-road simplistic bourbon. I prefer this pour over ice and in my opinion, it increases the rating to a Mix It!/Drink It!)

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman™