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Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Review

Can a craft Bourbon named after a 367-foot redwood really deliver "the best of both worlds"? We taste Pipe Dream Bourbon to find out if it soars.

OVERALL RATING

6
$30
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Named for the 14th tallest tree on the planet, Pipe Dream is our first craft 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. From the company website: “The perfect choice for those who just can’t decide between rye or bourbon, we call it “the best of both worlds.””

Vital Stats:
Mash Bill:
73% Corn, 18% Rye, 5% Malted Barley, 4% Wheat
Age:
A blend 4 to 14-year-old barrels

About the tree Lost Monarch:
367 ft tall / 1340 years old
GPS 40.34728, -123.96152
Deep in the Patriarch Forest of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the coast redwood Pipe Dream rises 367-feet from the ancient forest floor. Among the fastest-growing trees ever measured, its majesty and rise to prominence inspires us to reach higher in our pursuit of excellence.

Something neat on every bottle is a John Muir quote, this bottle says, “The power of imagination makes us infinite.”
Appearance:
Clear copper in color with thin fast legs. Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.
Nose:
Soft complexity of green apples, alcohol, sugar, and tea spices. Touch of lemon.
Palate:
Sweet body with medium smoothness and a light complexity.

The taste starts with a little burn sugar, oak, custard, and a little nuttiness. It is nice but subtle.
Finish:
The finish was short with a watery mouthfeel. Touch of menthol mint and rising heat.
Comments:
Had a nice delicate body with touches of heat and caramel throughout. Overall not an enormous depth of flavor but for around 4 years of age I think it has some great merit. I know this is a core release for the brand, and there are older expressions along with cask strength items as well. Personally, I enjoyed this dram and could picture brining it over to a garden party or into the woods. It’s a nice whiskey to sip while chatting or mixing.

Certainly a nice bottle overall but needing complexity through age to really sing.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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