Redwood Empire, Pipe Dream Bourbon

I think that it goes without saying that I enjoy trying new bourbons. If I didn’t, eleven years of writing for this site would have long ago become torturous. That said, even I am starting to find comfort in my old favorites. There are just so many new companies and labels on shelves that it is hard to keep up. At least I get press releases for some of them. I don’t understand how you folks make headway in this.

Well, you probably do what I do when I’m in the liquor store. Ask the folks that work there, “What’s new?” “What are people buying these days?” I usually get an answer that I have to ignore as the recommendation is something I’ve already covered. But once in a while, I get a recommendation about something that I’ve overlooked. Such is the case tonight. Redwood Empire Whiskey is a craft distillery that opened its doors in 2014 in beautiful Sonoma County, California. Now owned by Purple Brands of Petaluma, California, the whiskey is produced in Graton, California, alongside Benham’s Gin and Vodka.

This particular release, Pipe Dream, is a blend of both in-house distilled bourbons and bourbons sourced from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The constituent parts are listed as between four and 12 years old on the company website. And the composite mash bill works out to 75% corn, 21% “raw rye,” and 4% malted barley (also per their website). And in case you wondered where the name comes from, the bourbon is named for the 14th tallest tree on the planet. That tree is located in California’s Humbolt State Park. You can read more about the tree here should you wish.

Redwood Empire, Pipe Dream Bourbon

Purchase Info: $35.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.40

Details: 45% ABV. Distilled in California, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Bottled in California.

Nose: Floral vanilla, oak, wood smoke, and toffee.

Mouth: Thin mouthfeel with muted notes of vanilla, baking spice, and toffee.

Finish: Warm and of medium length. Sweet with notes of vanilla, toffee, and oak.

Thoughts: Solid bourbon. The nose is nice. The thin, muted mouth is a bit of a disappointment. But the finish is nice. And if I had to choose, I'd rather have a nice finish over a nice mouth experience just because I spend more time experiencing the finish. That said, I'm pretty neutral on this. I don't particularly like it, but I don't dislike it either. I probably won't buy it again, but if you poured me a glass, I wouldn't complain. (Not even after you were gone... I mean, I am Minnesotan. We are a very passive-aggressive bunch.) I will probably check out some of the other Redwood Empire offerings at my local corner liquor store though. I want to see about the cask strength version of this and maybe try their rye as well.

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Bluebird Days Whiskey

I’d like to thank Bluebird Distilling, Jordan Davis and their PR teams for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Most of the samples I get come from one of two sources. The vast majority of the samples come from a large producer. But there are also a sizable number of samples from a small producer who has done a deal with a musician. Tonight’s whiskey is from the latter. And since I have never heard of either the musician or the distillery associated with tonight’s whiskey, let’s let them introduce themselves via the press release.

ABOUT BLUEBIRD DISTILLING: Bluebird Distilling is a craft distillery that produces small batch whiskies (that includes a limited release Wheat Whiskey, Four Grain Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, and White Rye Whiskey) and other amazing craft spirits such as Juniperus Gin, Vodka, Sugarcane Rum, and Dark Rum, using a state-of-the-art hybrid copper still. The distillery and tasting room are located in Phoenixville, PA. For more information, please visit http://bluebirddistilling.com/.  

ABOUT JORDAN DAVIS: A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Jordan Davis is set to release his highly anticipated second full-length album, Bluebird Days, on February 17. Produced by Paul DiGiovanni, the album features 17 songs including his fifth career No. 1 hit, “What My World Spins Around,” and his double-platinum multi-week No. 1, “Buy Dirt” (feat. Luke Bryan), which won numerous accolades including CMA and NSAI Song of the Year and earned ACM, AMA, Billboard and iHeart Award nominations. Davis previously notched three consecutive No. 1 hits: Platinum-certified “Slow Dance In AParking Lot,” Double Platinum-certified “Singles You Up” and Platinum-certified “Take It From Me,” each featured on his Gold-certified debut album, Home State. Awarded Best New Country Artist at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, he is a two-time nominee for ACM New Male Artist of the Year and was named Billboard’s Top New Country Artist of 2018. Davis has over 4 billion streams worldwide and appeared on Ellen, Good Morning America, TODAY, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and more. He has previously toured with artists including Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts, Old Dominion, and more.

So now that we know who we are dealing with, let’s find out what the whiskey is (and yes, this sample has been hanging around for a while now, as evidenced by that album's release date). BlueBird Days Whiskey is probably best classified as a blend of straight whiskies as it is made from a blend of 90% 6-year-old Bluebird Bourbon (mashbill: 75% corn, 15% Heirloom Rye, and 10% Barley) and 10% 7-year-old Bluebird Red Winter Wheat Whiskey (mashbill: 100% Whole Grain Pennsylvania Red Winter Wheat).

Let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Bluebird Days Whiskey

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $50 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $3.33

Nose: Mint, a toasted nuttiness, and dried grains.

Mouth: Cinnamon, caramel, chocolate, nougat.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of malted grains, chocolate, mint, and some oak.

Thoughts: This one is not for me. It's not bad or anything. In fact, there will probably be people who think I'm crazy for giving this a neutral rating. But I'm not finding that the bourbon and wheat whiskies in the blend complement one another. They are both there, but to me, they fight instead of combining into a well-integrated whole. Plus, it just sort of feels overly grain-forward for my palate. It doesn't hurt that I get a note reminiscent of malted grain on the finish. And I really don't care for that flavor note. If you are a fan of celebrity craft whiskies, give this a try. Otherwise, it is probably safe to give this one a pass.

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Jefferson's Ocean New York Edition and Jefferson's Ocean Rye

I’d like to thank Jefferson’s Bourbon and their PR team for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Last week, I got myself a shipment of whiskey from the PR agency that represents Jefferson’s Bourbon. I’ve enjoyed Jefferson’s in the past but as I was often critical of the cost of the bourbon, I was a bit surprised when they offered me a sample of their new releases. But since “too expensive” is relative, I try to not let that stop me from exploring a new bourbon. Especially when they are providing the sample for review.

Tonight’s two whiskeys are again from the Jefferson’s Ocean lineup. Because we have a lot to cover, let’s just let Jefferson’s tell you what they want you to know about each whiskey and then we can discuss what they taste like.

First, Jefferson’s Ocean Rye:

Welcome aboard rye’s first voyage, joining our Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea family as our 26th voyage. This double-barreled rye whiskey travels the world on ships at sea, blending the bold flavor of Rye with the rich caramelization that comes from the unique sea aging process.

And now Jefferson’s Ocean New York Edition

Prior to landing in New York, the barrels of bourbon traveled around the world sailing through rough and smooth seas while experiencing a wide range of temperatures. When they finished their voyage, they arrived at Manhattan’s first distillery since prohibition. From here, New York’s famous water was used to cut the bourbon to a 98 proof and it is non chill filtered creating a bigger and bolder liquid.

Ok, now that that’s behind us, Let’s see how they taste.

Jefferson's Ocean Rye

Purchase Info: This sample bottle was provided at no cost for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $79.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $5.33

Details: 48% ABV.

Nose: Wintergreen, cinnamon, bubblegum.

Mouth: Cinnamon spice, nutmeg, bubblegum, and cardboard.

Finish: Medium in warmth and length. Notes of bubble gum, spearmint, and baking spice.

Thoughts: Lots of bubble gum on this one. At least to my palate. This isn't a world-beater by any means, but it isn't bad. It just doesn't align with my palate. I prefer my rye whiskies to have a little more ' 'rye" flavor to them. So I'm neutral on this one. I'd drink it if you were pouring, but probably wouldn't choose it off the shelf if I was pouring

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Jefferson's Ocean: New York Edition

Purchase Info: This sample bottle was provided at no cost for review purposes. They did not provided a suggested retail price but the Bourbon Review is reporting it as $99 for a 750 mL.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.67

Details: 49% ABV. Cut to proof with New York water.

Nose: Cinnamon, vanilla, red berries, and hints of oak and wintergreen.

Mouth: Spicy cinnamon, red fruit, brown sugar, wintergreen, dried grain, and raw almond.

Finish: On the longer side of medium length. Notes of nutmeg, wintergreen, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Thoughts: I'm very pleasantly surprised by this one. I'm not usually a huge fan of Jefferson's Bourbon, but this one is pretty good. It has a nice spiciness. Unlike the other Jefferson's Bourbons I've had recently, this doesn't stray too far away from the stereotypical "Bourbon" flavor profile. I usually describe Jefferson's as a "change of pace" bourbon because it is a bit different than the other bourbons on the market. This needs no such disclaimer. I'm a fan. Though the $100 price point of the Jefferson's Ocean New York Edition release does leave a bit to be desired. Especially if you are on a dogsitter’s budget like I am.

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Painted Stave Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey

Late last year, I was in Total Wine, planning ahead for things to review. There is an employee there who I chat with about bourbon when he’s working. It never hurts to get the ear of a liquor store employee. Even if a Total Wine employee is unlikely to help you score sought after releases, if they know that you know your bourbon, they are less likely to try to push Spirits Direct items your way.

Well, most of the time. This guy knows that I know my stuff. In fact, he’s an occasional reader now. And knowing that, he only suggests the Spirits Direct stuff when he honestly likes it. So when he told me that he honestly liked this one while also saying something to the effect of “I know, I know, Spirits Direct,” well, I decided to take a shot on it.

Painted Stave Distilling is a craft distillery and cocktail bar in Smyrna, Deleware. Located in the Old Smyrna Theater building, they are currently 9 years old. Just a couple of years younger than this site you’re reading now. They make gin, vodka, some liqueurs, an Irish-Style whiskey, a Bonded Corn whiskey, Bonded Bourbon, and of course this Bonded Rye whiskey. Here is what the producers have to say about their rye whiskey:

Painted Stave Rye is a shining example of our approach to branding at Painted Stave Distilling: celebrate and retell local history. Just to our south, Diamond State Rye (editor’s note: this seems to be an earlier brand name for their rye before it was a Bottled-in-Bond release) was originally made by the Levy & Glosking Distillery, which was shut down by the strong teetotaling movement in our county before prohibition. While the mash bills are likely different, many of the branding elements were inspired from the original design, and presently serves as the template for all of whiskies. DSRye, is a Maryland rye-styled whiskey, where corn is added to contrast the spicy nature of rye and produce a whiskey with more subdued spice and rounder subtler flavors. The sweetness of the corn helps balance the dry spiciness of the rye to yield a spirit that is right at home in a classic Manhattan or sipped on fresh ice. At least four years in heavily charred white oak barrels, no chill filtering, and ready to rock.

Alright, let’s see how it tastes.

Painted Stave Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey

Purchase Info: $41.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.80

Details: 4 years old. 50% ABV. DSP-DE-21002. Batch/Bottle Number: 5-297

Nose: Spearmint, caramel, anise, clove, and red fruits.

Mouth: Spearmint, bubblegum, cardboard, plums, and cinnamon.

Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium. Notes of spearmint, cinnamon, bubble gum, and cardboard.

Thoughts: This is a weird one. On the nose, it reminded me of Peychaud's Bitters with some spearmint and caramel. On the mouth, it reminded me of the gum that came with Topps Baseball Cards in the 1980s, along with spearmint and spice. Same with the finish. Honestly, this isn't for me. At least not on its own. In a Sazerac, it works wonderfully, probably due to its resemblance to Peychaud's. So, I'm pretty neutral on this one. I'll probably keep it in the cocktail cart and use it in cocktails.

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A BourbonGuy look at Bourbon Cream Liqueurs

Earlier this month, reader Mitch reached out to request a rundown of various Bourbon Cream liqueurs. I thought that with it being the holiday season, that was a great idea. So I set out to see what I could find. I was hoping to find products that are readily available across a wide swath of the country. So that meant no boutique brands unless they are hosted my a major retailer. And after stopping at a dozen liquor stores across two states, I realized that also leaves out the OG from Buffalo Trace. If you have Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream available near you and you want to report back how it stacks up with these, please do so! I’d love the feedback and I’m sure Mitch would too.

Ok, so let’s dig right in:

Nooku Bourbon Cream

Purchase Info: $2.99 for a 100 mL bottle at Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.50

Details: 17% ABV. Lightest color of the four

Nose: Almond extract notes.

Mouth: Nutty and a little sharp.

Finish: Not much of a finish.

Thoughts: By far, the Nooku is our least favorite. It seems to have a boozy flavor that isn't well integrated and causes a sharpness to the flavor as the ethanol makes its presence known.

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Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream

Purchase Info: $8.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $0.60

Details: 12.5% ABV. Darkest color of the four.

Nose: Not much of a nose. Slightly boozy and a little cheesy.

Mouth: Very creamy in the mouth. Slight hint of cherry and mint.

Finish: None to speak of.

Thoughts: A big step up from the Nooku, but still in third place (for me, my wife ranked this in second), is Ezra Brooks. It's got a hint of an aged Parmesan cheese note to it that I don't really find enjoyable in this context. I wouldn't mind it so much if it weren't being tasted next to examples that more closely match our palates.

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Paddleford Creek Bourbon Cream

Purchase Info: $18.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Bloomington, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.27

Details: 15% ABV. Spirits Direct (Total Wine)

Nose: A touch of cherry on the nose.

Mouth: Very thick and rich. Cinnamon and vanilla join the cream flavors.

Finish: Coats the throat. Cinnamon and vanilla flavors hang around.

Thoughts: In second place (for me) is Paddleford Creek. This has, by far, the creamiest mouthfeel. It's just luscious in the mouth. The slight cinnamon and vanilla notes could be a little more prominent, though. But if tasted without comparison, this would be a very enjoyable pour.

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Jim Beam Bourbon Cream

Purchase Info: $17.99 for a 750 mL bottle at South Lyndale Liquor, Minneapolis, MN

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.20

Details: 15% ABV.

Nose: Nutmeg and cream.

Mouth: Not much to this on the mouth.

Finish: Much of the flavor comes after you swallow and there is a lot of flavor. Stong Nutmeg and vanilla notes.

Thoughts: Our very favorite one is the Jim Beam. That strong nutmeg note just feels like a glass of holiday cheer to me.

Overall Thoughts: I’d happily accept a glass of any of the non-Nooku Bourbon Creams. I love how flavorful the Jim Beam Bourbon Cream is. That strong hit of nutmeg is delicious. I can’t say enough about the mouthfeel of the Paddelford Creek Bourbon Cream. I could wish that the flavors were a bit more prominent, but that mostly came about after I tried the Jim Beam. Before that, I was very happy with the amount of flavor. The Ezra Brooks is also a very solid offering. Nothing bad in that pour at all. But on the flip side, there is also nothing that stands out. It’s just tasty. Nooku, I’d just avoid it personally. It was both of our least favorite and it was also the most expensive of the offerings. Even if you bought a bigger bottle. I saw one store I was at selling it for over $30 per 750 mL bottle.

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Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond, Fall 2022

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Man alive! I just spent the last four hours straight building a PowerPoint presentation for a client. My eyes and my brain are absolutely fried tonight. So, because we’ve covered almost all of the previous editions previously, I’m going to let the folks at Heaven Hill talk for themselves tonight.

The Fall 2022 edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the first 19-year-old of the nationally released series and features Bourbon pulled from across three floors of rickhouse F and one floor of rickhouse X at Heaven Hill Distillery's main campus. As a leader of the Bottled-in-Bond category, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a premium product within this special class that showcases the authenticity and quality of the American Whiskey portfolio. Acquired in 1999 by Heaven Hill, the legendary Old Fitzgerald line is well-known for its distilling pedigree and intriguing story behind its namesake, John E. Fitzgerald, whose legacy is also heralded by the Larceny Bourbon brand.

So $240 for a single bottle (of anything) is quite a bit outside my price range, but let’s see how it tastes anyway.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, Fall 2022

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $240.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $16.00

Details: Distilled in fall 2003. Bottled in fall 2022. 19 years old. 50 % ABV.

Nose: Chocolate, vanilla, coconut, leather, and oak.

Mouth: Cinnamon, mint, oak, caramel, and leather.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and oak.

Thoughts: We are split in the BourbonGuy household over this one. My wife, who loves old and oaky bourbons, is a big fan. I, who prefers his bourbon not to be so oaky, am not nearly as much of a fan. She gives it a like, whereas I am neutral on it. Fans of oaky bourbon will love this. Those of us who prefer our bourbon not to taste like an old barrel can easily leave this one to those it is aimed at with few regrets.

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Redemption Rye

This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes with no strings attached.

If you ever wonder whether or not you are good at your job, just think about the poor Minnesota Legislature and the fact that they accidentally legalized THC edibles this summer because one party forgot to actually read the bill that they were voting on. But since a majority of citizens in my adopted home state wish they had gone further and just legalized marijuana, they can’t even take credit for doing what they accidentally did. If you can say that you are better at your job than that, I say that you’ve got it made.

I was thinking about that tonight as I was playing a little Pink Floyd on my new turntable. For…no reason.

I kid, obviously. I was actually thinking about it because I was working on some banner ads. I hate making banner ads because I hate seeing them. (There is a reason I don’t put ads on this site.) Not only that, but I’m not terribly good at them. But people keep hiring me to do it, so…at least I’m better at the job than the Minnesota Legislature?

Oh, speaking of…vote for people next Tuesday that will actually do their job and read the damn bills that they are voting on, ok? I won’t tell you which party to vote for (you probably already know my leanings), but regardless, we should be hiring people who, at the bare minimum, can do the reading part of their job.

Anyway, now that I’m all worked up. Who wants a drink?

Tonight, I’m looking at a whiskey that I have walked past for years. Literally years. I saw that it was listed as two years old on the back and just didn’t feel like giving it a chance. Even if it does look to be sourced from MGP, my favorite distillery for rye. They sent it along with a more expensive new release so that I would have a baseline to compare with the new one. As I hadn’t had either before, I thought that was pretty smart. So let’s dig in.

Redemption Rye

Purchase Info: This bottle was provided for review purposes at no cost. It goes for $27.99 at my nearest Total Wine.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $1.87

Details: 2 years old. 46% ABV. Mash bill: 95% Rye and 5% Malted Barley.

Nose: Spearmint, herbal dill, and bubblegum.

Mouth: Gum from a pack of 1980's baseball cards (yes, I'm old. If you aren't, think bubblegum with hints of cardboard, but in a good way), spearmint, nutmeg, and almond.

Finish: On the shorter side of medium. Notes of mint, cinnamon, and caramel.

Thoughts: This is an ok Rye whiskey that I will happily finish but probably wouldn't buy again unless it is on sale. It's a pretty sweet and gentle rye. Which isn't typically what I look for in rye whiskey. However, it does work ok in rye cocktails. I tested it in a Sazerac and an Old Fashioned, and it worked fine in both as long as you adjusted the other ingredients to account for the fact that this is a little gentler than other ryes I’d usually use. Overall, not bad, just kinda meh. I’m excited to try the other bottle they sent now that I have this as a baseline. Check back next week to see how the more expensive version fairs. (How’s that for a tease?)

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Little Book Chapter 6, "To the Finish"

I’d like to thank the folks from Beam Suntory and their PR teams for sharing this sample with no strings attached.

Beam Suntory’s Little Book is the creation of the newly appointed Eighth Generation Jim Beam Master Distiller Freddie Noe. It is a celebration of what “blended whiskey” can be. These aren’t the blended whiskeys of the mid-to-late 20th century. These are delicious, high proof whiskeys that allow for creativity of ingredient. And I have liked every iteration of Little Book so far. So when I was offered a sample for review, I jumped at it.

This “chapter” is a pretty complicated blend. It includes a five-year-old straight bourbon along with four four-year-old straight malt whiskeys that have each been finished in a different type of finshing barrel. Those include barrels with cherrywood staves and maple wood staves along with barrels that have been smoked with applewood smoke and hickory smoke. Here is what the press release has to say:

Little Book Chapter 6: “To The Finish,” is the latest chapter in Eighth Generation Master Distiller, Freddie Noe’s acclaimed Little Book Whiskey series. The name of this year’s chapter is inspired by Freddie’s passion for both whiskey-making and cooking, and more specifically his curiosity for how flavors come together.

The kitchen has always been a place where the Noe family has come together to share traditions from generation to generation. These traditions around family meals, and Freddie’s adventures around the grill, inspired his work in the rackhouse for Chapter 6. Freddie uses the traditional method of smoking hardwoods to create different aromas and flavors in food, and he’s applied that same method to the whiskey-making process, using unique wood staves and barrel techniques for Chapter 6.

So, how does it taste?

Little Book Chapter 6 "To the Finish"

Purchase Info: This sample was sent to me by the producer for review purposes. The Suggested Retail Price is $124.99

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.33

Details: 58.725% ABV. Blend Components: 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished with cherrywood staves, 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished with applewood smoked barrels, 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished in hickory smoked barrels, 4-year-old Straight Malt Whiskey finished with maple wood staves, and 5-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

Nose: Cinnamon, wintergreen, malted grain, and hints of cherry.

Mouth: Very hot and dry. Notes follow the nose with cherry, wintergreen, malt, and cinnamon.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of malt, cinnamon, wintergreen, and a touch of barbeque smoke.

Thoughts: I'm sad to say that this is the first "Chapter" of Little Book that didn't work for me. But that is entirely on me, not the Whiskey. I'm not a fan of either malt or smoke, and this has notes of both. So that's on me, not Freddie Noe. If you like/don't mind the flavor of malt whiskey, then this is worth a look.

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