Skip to content

Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Cask Strength

Named for the 14th tallest tree on the planet, Pipe Dream is our first Bourbon whiskey. Pipe Dream Bourbon is made from a high corn mash-bill and blended from barrels aged between four and twelve years. Smooth and complex, it is a true sipping whiskey.Don’s Liquors & Wine is a retail-based store in San Jose California for more than 30 years. We are well known in bringing new and unique wines, whisky and spirits to our customers, and are proud to work with local distributors and local wineries.

Single cask whiskies are (usually!) of very high quality. If the brand is doing their job right, these are amongst the best examples of a particularly distillery or style you’ll find.
Linked with quality is the rarity factor. Not every cask of whisky is good enough to be released as a single cask expression. Indeed, most casks of whisky are not good enough – it’s only a small proportion that will make the grade. Rarity influences cask price, which in turn affects the end cost of the bottles.Single cask whiskies can be released by any brand, including distilleries themselves. But, many of the single cask whiskies you’ll find on the market are released by independent bottlers. Indie bottlers specialise in selecting exceptional casks and bottling them as single cask releases.

When I’m in the pub and being introduced to new friends, it isn’t long before TopWhiskies comes up in conversation. I’m like a proud parent. Inevitably, a phone comes out, we look at the website, and talk about the single cask whiskies we have in stock.
High quality bottles mean finding high quality casks of whisky. And such casks don’t come cheap. They themselves command a premium. This cost in the fundamental input into single cask whiskies is reflected in the end price. You are buying quality.Single cask whiskies are artisan releases. Care and attention goes into every aspect of their creation. From selecting the best casks of whisky. Through considering how best to age and finish them. To the bottling process and how they’re presented.

TopWhiskies helps you find the best whiskies from unique and independent whiskey brands. And we can ship to your door, just about anywhere in the world.
I think it’s fair to say some people may be a bit surprised at the price points. And that’s understandable. High-end whisky is a treat, a little luxury in life. But I thought it may be useful to briefly comment on why single cask whisky can be so expensive. So, here are five contributing factors to the cost of single cask whisky.

What proof is Redwood Empire pipe dream?
As the first bourbon whiskey coming from Redwood Empire Distillery, Pipe Dream sits at 90 proof and is a blend of barrels aged between 4 and 12 years. It is made from a high corn mashbill, and sells for an MSRP of around $44.
The only catch in this approach is tax. We can never escape tax. And in the case of whisky, as well as standard VAT, producers have to pay ‘alcohol duty’. The higher the bottling strength, the more HMRC will take in Alcohol Duty. This means that if you’re comparing two bottles of differing strength which are, in every other respect, exactly the same, they will be priced differently.A small team doesn’t necessarily have a direct bearing on cost. Although I would suggest that big companies can drive their costs lower in comparison with small family businesses. But what I would say is that every one of your hard-earned pounds you spend with independent businesses goes a long way. You are supporting someones hopes and dreams. And that, I feel, counts for a lot.

Yes, single cask whisky can be expensive and is a treat. But yes, single cask whisky is worth paying a, reasonable, premium for. You are buying a high quality rare whisky that is bottled as an artisan product often by small independent family companies. As long as you’re buying from a reputable brand or specialist, you are getting great value for your money, with an exceptional whisky to enjoy.

Many independent bottlers are small companies. In fact, they’re often just one, two or three people. A small family business. Run by passionate whisky lovers, who pour their heart and soul into every whisky they bottle.
Alcohol tax is a key contributor to the cost of cask strength single cask whiskies. This is particularly true up to the £100 mark, where the combination of VAT and Alcohol Duty will be a sizeable percentage of the total sum. For example, a 700ml bottle of single cask whisky at 60% ABV and priced at £75 will include £12.50 of VAT and £12.07. So, a total of £24.57 goes to HMRC, basically a third of the bottle price in this example.Alcohol tax in the UK, and therefore payable on single cask scotch whisky, is £28.74 per litre of pure alcohol. So let’s look at two examples that illustrate the above point. Let’s assume everything about two 700ml bottles of whisky is exactly the same, except one is bottled at 40% and the other at 60%. The Alcohol Duty on the first bottle will be £28.74 x 0.7 litres x 40% ABV, which is £8.05. And the tax on the second bottle will be £28.74 x 0.7 litres x 60% ABV, which is £12.07.But there’s another angle to rarity. Single cask whiskies are an opportunity to try different, unique, and special whiskies. Those that are a different style. That use a particular type of whisky cask, like port casks. Or that are exceptionally well-aged. Again, these factors mean there are inherently fewer casks that meet the grade.

Single cask whiskies can be bottled at any strength, from 40% upwards. However, given the artisan nature of single cask whisky, it is often bottled at high strength. As a broad range, 50% to 60%, ish. Where this is the natural strength of the whisky when emptied from the cask, it is known as ‘cask strength’.
TopWhiskies specialises in independent bottlers and single cask whisky. You can find our full range of single cask whiskies here. And if I can help you with any recommendations, I’d be delighted. You can contact me here.And, in line with an artisan product, you’re buying something that’s inherently limited edition. Exactly how many bottles of whisky are made depends on the size of the whisky cask. But usually there will be only around 300 bottles.

You can sum up what you need to know about TopWhiskies in three words: we love whisky. Single malt scotch. Bourbon. Irish Whiskey. Whiskies from Japan, Australia, Sweden and Canada. We could keep going, but you get the idea.
Single cask whiskies are usually bottled at high / cask strength as it puts the whisky drinker in charge. They can choose their ideal strength, either enjoying it at the natural cask strength, or adding a little water to bring the ABV down to their preferred strength.5: Amazing – Truly legendary. Exceptional not just in flavor, but also unique or rare. Bottles that must be tried if seen for even a little over MSRP, but are often significantly overpriced. For the love of god, do not mix these. [Booker’s, Pappy, Stagg]

By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising.

Redwood Empire just released the cask strength versions of their three core whiskeys, and people in my area (Northern California) have been saying good things. My local liquor store had one of these left, and I decided to pick it up despite being skeptical about California whiskey and never having tried the non-cask strength expressions. I haven’t seen a review for their bourbon (‘Pipe Dream’) yet on this sub, so I figured I would take a stab at it. Seeing as this is my first review posted in the subreddit, I would appreciate any feedback on how I can make future reviews more effective.
Can’t speak for the regular expressions, but Redwood Empire really blew me away with this. If you want something exciting and unique, I highly recommend picking one of these up. I’d say this is up there in value with Noah’s Mill for cask strength bottles around the price – not as smooth and traditionally delicious as Noah’s, but Pipe Dream makes up for it with its unique rich flavors. I will definitely go back to the store to pick up the non-cask strength expression from Redwood Empire and see how it holds up against other $30 bottles.

Is Redwood Empire sourced from MGP?
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Overview While Redwood Empire does use their own distillate for their whiskey, they also source whiskey from multiple distilleries as well. In terms of the Emerald Giant Rye, they source rye whiskey from MGP, which makes sense given they’re the largest producer of rye whiskey in the world.
4: Good – Above average value for money spent. Either something that is consistently good for the price [Eagle Rare, Noah’s Mill] or something unique or rare that stands enough to warrant spending money to at least try it, assuming you aren’t paying over MSRP [Blanton’s]. Enjoy these neat or on ice, and probably don’t throw these in a cocktail.Overall: This is a very unique and delicious bottle! The green apple is very strong on the nose and palate yet still balanced. It is hot as you’d expect for a cask strength, but not super hot like the 120 proof KC. The spice and citrus are quite strong and liven up the palate and finish without overpowering it. All discussions and reviews of Bourbon, Rye, or any American Whiskey are welcome and encouraged (yes, even Jack), as well as any news articles or bourbon-related internet things. Please read the sub rules before posting. 2: Mediocre – Not terrible, but definitely not good either. Put it in a cocktail if someone gifts it to you but don’t buy it [Maker’s Mark, Basil Hayden, Elijah Craig]3: Average – Worth the money, not bad, but doesn’t stand out for the price. Reliably decent staple for how much you’re but nothing special to look out for (unless on sale, in which case pick it up). Put it in a cocktail or drink it neat – whatever you feel like. [WT101, Woodford Double Oaked, Buffalo Trace, Angel’s Envy] You may terminate your account at any time. If you terminate your account, you will no longer have access to the Service and your Contributions (specified below), if any. We do not provide back-ups of your Contributions. To terminate your account, login to your account, go to the “settings page”, and follow the termination instructions]. If you cancel your subscription, your account will be automatically closed. We may, but are not under any obligation, to release new functionalities and tools or other features for the Service every now and then. Any new functionalities, tools and features shall be part of and governed by the Terms from the moment they are launched and/or available. Further, we reserve the right to modify, change, discontinue the Service, add or remove features, update the Service, change its appearance, temporarily and permanently, at any time, in whole or any part thereof.You acknowledge that the Service is protected by copyrights and database rights. The Service and your account are for your personal use only and may not be shared with any third parties. We grant to registered Members a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable right to access and use the Service and to view its contents (“License”). Without limiting the foregoing, the License does not include (a) the right to resell or use the Service commercially (unless explicitly allowed under the applicable subscription plan), (b) the right to make the Service publicly available or use for public display, (c) any downloading, duplicating, or copying, collection and use of any contents of the Services, e.g. bottle information, descriptions, ratings, retail and secondary market price observations, values, etc., (d) the right to license, use, sell, archive, reproduce, distribute, modify, perform, publish, create derivative works from, offer for sale, or use of the Service. Further, you shall not circumvent, remove, alter, deactivate, degrade or thwart any of the content protections, decompile, reverse engineer or disassemble the Service and any software related to or used in or by the Service.We may sell, license, transfer, assign or in any other way dispose of the Service (including Members) to any third party without any notification to you, e.g. (but without limitation) in connection with any reorganization, restructuring, merger or sale, or other transfer of assets.

You shall not contribute any discriminatory, racially offensive, abusive, offensive, threatening, intimidating, inaccurate, incomplete, obscene, profane, harassing, or illegal material and/or Contributions, or any other Contributions that infringes, or may infringe, or violates or may violate, any third party’s rights, including intellectual and industrial property rights, rights of privacy and publicity. Further, deliberate or undeliberate manipulation of information on the Service (such as ratings), any activity with the intent to influence such information, value or reviews on products (e.g. bottles, brands, distilleries, bottlers or shops) are not allowed. Contacting Members to sell or buy products or requesting other Members to sell or buy bottles outside our affiliated platform Whiskybase Market is considered a violation of these Terms and will lead to the termination of your account without prejudice to other rights we have under these Terms and applicable law.
These General Terms and Conditions (“Terms”), as well as our Privacy Statement (“Privacy Statement”), apply to your (“you”, “Member”) use of the Service (which includes visits to the Whiskybase websites).

You are responsible for all activities through your account. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide to us in relation to your account, and for updating it where necessary. You are not allowed to create multiple accounts. We may terminate or temporarily suspend your account to protect you, ourselves or our partners from (suspected) identity theft or other (suspected) fraudulent (e.g. false, misleading, deceptive) activity. You have the obligation to keep your login credentials confidential. You shall not authorize any others to use or access your account.Neither Whiskybase nor any of its group companies (including any subsidiary, affiliate or holding company), directors, officers and employees shall in any way be liable or responsible (whether directly, indirectly, consequential) for any costs, claims, damages, liabilities and other expenses, including any consequential loss, suffered by you resulting from your use of the Service.

You must create an account to be able to use our Service where the following personal information is required: username, a valid email address, country of residence and a password. Additional personal information may be provided by you if you wish to do so. Please read our Privacy Statement for more information on our use and processing of your personal information.
You hereby represent and warrant that you are authorized to make any Contributions, that your Contributions and the use by us will not infringe or violate the rights of any third party. You will defend (at our option), indemnify and hold harmless us and our parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, (sub)licensees, assignees, successors, authorized third party contractors from any and all loss, damage, claim, liability or expense (including reasonable outside legal fees and costs) actually incurred as a result of a third party claim arising out of a breach or alleged breach of your obligations, representations and warranties made herein.

Our Service is an online platform which provides Members with information (e.g. bottle facts, market-indices, market values and prices) on (mostly) whisky and allows Members to add information to the platform. We do not sell, nor does the Service provide any option to buy, any alcoholic products.Whiskybase B.V. is the Dutch private limited liability company, having its statutory seat in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and its office at Zwaanshals 530, 3035 KS Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Whiskybase B.V. is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under no. 52072819.

How old is Redwood Empire pipe dream?
between four and twelve years 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. Cached
We reserve the right to immediately and without prior notice deactivate, suspend and/or terminate your account if you do not abide by the Terms, if you act unlawful, if you do not act or use the Service in good faith, or if you cause any harm whatsoever to the Service, to other Members, to other persons or to us. You shall be notified of the deactivation, suspension, or termination via the email address linked to your account. Whiskybase B.V. (“Whiskybase”, “we” or “us”, company details below) offers a whisky enthusiasts online platform that provides its members access to the most comprehensive, transparent and trusted resource of whisky bottles and allows and stimulates its members to contribute information about whisky bottles to the platform (“Service”). The Service, including any information contained therein, does not constitute any advice (such as but not limited to investment advice, tax advice, financial, economic advice) and is not intended as recommendations (whether personal, in general, or otherwise) to invest in companies, products, services. Any investment and purchase made, or action(s) taken based upon (information in) the Service may and will involve significant risk (such as, but not limited to loss, total loss). Past “performances” (e.g. values, ratings, etc.) of products (e.g. bottles, casks) and companies (e.g. distilleries) listed in the Services are not indicative of, nor are guarantee of future results.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we expressly disclaim all warranties and representations with respect to the Services, whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise, including without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, lack of viruses, accuracy or completeness of responses or results from use of the Services, that the Services will meet specific requirements, that the Services will be available or uninterrupted, secure or free of errors. You acknowledge and agree that the Service is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.
Regardless of whether the Service offers the functionality to contribute, you are solely responsible and liable for any content and information that you create, upload, post, publish, link to, duplicate, transmit, record, display or otherwise make available on the Service or to other Members, such as chat messages, text messages, videos, audio, audio recordings, music, pictures, photographs, text and any other information or materials, whether publicly posted or privately transmitted (“Contributions”).We do not allow the sale and/or purchase of products between members through the Service, e.g. through private messages. If you wish to sell or purchase products, please refer to the Whiskybase Market.

The Service has been prepared by us solely for information purposes to Members and the Service is based on information we consider reliable and we obtain the contents of the Service from a number of different third party sources (including Contributions), but we do not endorse, support, represent, warrant or guarantee the completeness, truthfulness, accuracy, or reliability of the Services and any information therein.
Without prejudice to the section Liability below, the Service may be temporarily unavailable during maintenance, updates, etc. We shall make reasonable efforts to inform you of any unavailability due to maintenance or updates.You acknowledge, understand and agree that we are not obligated to review, check or monitor any Contributions, but we may do so. Furthermore, we may (without prior notice and without giving reasons) change, delete or alter any Contributions, whether in whole or in part, that in our sole judgment and discretion violates these Terms, is unlawful, is in any way harmful to you, Members, us, the Service or any third parties.

Each and every Member must be of legal drinking age in its country of residence to be allowed to use the Service. If no such law exists in a Member’s country of residence, the Member has to be over 21 years old to use the Service. We have the right to ask you to provide proof of your age and/or to provide further identification to prevent underage usage and/or for any other legal or legitimate purpose. By using the Service, and by creating an account you represent, warrant and confirm that you are of legal age.
By using our website(s) and registering for the Service, you expressly confirm acknowledgment and acceptance of the Terms and agree to be bound by them.

Before making any decision (e.g. purchase, investment) whatsoever based on the Service you should consider obtaining third party professional/expert advice on the matter, and you should consider whether such the decision is suitable and feasible with respect to (inter alia) your financial status and situation, your particular knowledge/experience on the matter (e.g. products, companies) involved.

How strong is cask strength bourbon?
between 60 to 65 percent Cask-strength whiskey is bottled from the barrel, completely unadulterated (meaning it hasn’t been diluted with water) and is generally between 60 to 65 percent ABV.
Nothing in the Terms shall exclude or limit our liability for fraudulent misrepresentation or for death or personal injury resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct by us.

Whiskybase is founded in 2007 with the goal to create the biggest resource of whisky information in the world. A community driven website built by and for whisky enthusiasts.

Unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise, your use of and membership to the Service are exclusively governed by Dutch law. We shall first try to settle any dispute over a dram of whisky. Disputes that cannot be settled over multiple drams of whisky shall be solely submitted to the court of Amsterdam, The Netherlands unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise.
We may change or update the Terms from time to time. You will be notified of any changes through the Service and/or by email. Your continued use of the Service after any such changes or updates take effect will constitute acknowledgement and (as applicable) acceptance of those changes or updates.

You hereby grant to us (including our parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, (sub)licensees, assignees, successors, authorized third party contractors), the worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, unlimited in any way, non-exclusive, transferable, free of charge and fully paid-up, right and license to duplicate, copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, display, make available, perform, use, store, record, play, adapt, alter, modify, make derivative works of, or in any other way exploit your Contributions (including any past Contributions you already posted/created on the Service (and any previous version thereof)), through any and all means and media, whether now known or hereafter devised, including but not limited to the internet, websites, print, magazines, books, mobile applications, games, commercials, etc. We have the right to transfer, assign the license granted by you to us, or grant licenses and sublicenses to our licensees, or have and allow them granting sublicenses to licensees to any other parties.Several factors distinguish inexpensive and premium whiskies from regular ones, but all in all, whiskeys are generally costing more today. These five are the major factors that determine the price of a bottle of whisky.

Who makes Redwood Empire?
The Hallbergs were known for producing a wide variety of apple products, mainly under the Redwood Empire label. Today, the facility and the climate make this the ideal place to make great whiskey, with plenty of relics on site to remind us of our ties to a rich agricultural history.
About 30% – 40% of the alcohol in a barrel of whisky that has been aged for 30 years evaporates. As a result, older whiskies’ actual liquid content in the barrel is lower than less aged whiskies. Whiskey is becoming harder to get and more expensive as fewer barrels are left to bottle it. Older whiskies are often more expensive for this reason. The expense of marketing is a factor for distilleries to take into account as well. It is particularly important if the distillery is new or trying to expand into a new market. In order to expand and enter new areas where potential customers can sample its whisky for free, the distillery typically needs a sizable sum of money. The “Angel’s Share” is a factor that contributes to whisky bottles’ sometimes high prices. A wooden barrel is used to mature premium whiskey for many years. Natural evaporation causes 1% to 2% of the alcohol in the barrel to be lost per year. This percentage is known as the Angel’s share.Here are the most crucial factors to consider when looking for a collectible whisky or just a bottle to enjoy with your friends after applying Slots Capital no deposit bonus to play roulette online relaxing at home.Whisky is currently increasing in price. In actuality, there has never been a time when rare whisky from Scotland, Japan, and Ireland has been more expensive. But only some bottles that hit the markets cost a lot. Whisky distilleries date back to the 1700s when distillers were granted permits to begin producing alcohol lawfully through brewing and distillation. The more heritage a distiller brings to the market, the more power they have to raise prices, which affects the market. The following indicators should be taken as only a guide and not a set of hard and fast rules. Some “premium” whiskeys really are quite terrible, while some mass market products are good enough to pour into a decanter and serve to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Is Redwood Empire whiskey sourced?
Redwood Empire American Whiskey is a combination of sourced bourbon and “house-distilled” rye made by Graton Distilling in Sonoma, CA.
The whisky released from the barrel after a specific number of years obviously has a lower alcohol content than 40%. Thus the distillery must first dilute it with spring water. Less whisky is available for sale if the alcohol content of the whisky is increased.Holy cow guys, did anyone proof read this article? It’s terrible across the board. Whisky with ABV lower than 40% being diluted with spring water to increase proof??? Terrible, terrible article.

Why is cask strength more expensive?
Cask-strength whisky is one that has been bottled directly from the cask. The bottles will cost more if the whisky has been aged in a barrel for a long time and is sold at cask strength.
To brew whisky, many small producers invest significant amounts of money. They lack a global market to sell their goods to, in addition to not having the economies of scale that the larger players do. Most of the time, a larger margin is required to maintain the business viability.

It could be more challenging if the distillery is new and exclusively sells whiskies without an age statement. Many whisky lovers don’t favor non-Scotch whiskies, which adds to the gloom and doom.Cask-strength whisky is one that has been bottled directly from the cask. The bottles will cost more if the whisky has been aged in a barrel for a long time and is sold at cask strength. When a whisky is offered as a single-cask, this also affects the number of bottles. Numerous commonly available regular whiskeys are blends of various casks of the same spirit. They go for uniformity by blending various casks to produce whiskies that taste exactly like the other batches. You cannot blend it with other barrels in a single barrel, making it more uncommon. Depending on the age, one barrel of single-cask whiskey can only create about 150 to 350 bottles.

The quantity of bottles a distillery produces greatly affects the selling price. A whisky may cost less if there are more bottles available for purchase. But what factors into the number of bottles? The cost of manufacturing is a major consideration in all forms of production. Making whisky requires both time and money. Before it can be called whisky, the spirit removed from the still must sit in an oak cask for at least three years (at least in Scotland). Non-Scotch boutique distilleries face a similar global phenomenon, particularly if they attempt to break into new global markets. Therefore, one of the simplest options for these producers is to raise the price of their whiskies to offset the rising marketing expense.The other justification for these rising prices is the risk distilleries face when they have to keep a barrel for longer. The distillery has to pay for the storage space throughout the years, and another barrel cannot be stored in its place. Older whiskies, therefore, cost more to produce at the distillery.

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.Some alcoholic beverages cost the same as they did decades ago, even though some whisky is now more expensive than a high-end sports vehicle. What determines the cost of whisky, then?

Since 40% ABV is frequently the required minimum alcohol content for a beverage to be labeled whisky, less expensive whiskeys are frequently bottled at this level.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.Whether you call it cask-strength or barrel-proof, this is whiskey that, as they say, puts hair on your chest. And there is more and more of it on the market. Cask-strength whiskey is bottled from the barrel, completely unadulterated (meaning it hasn’t been diluted with water) and is generally between 60 to 65 percent ABV.

As the name suggests, this single-pot-still whiskey is aged for 12 years before emerging from the barrel at 117 proof. The original 12-Year is complex, but this bottling is even more so, as the higher ABV adds intensity to the flavors. All the flavors you would expect come through, from caramel and toffee to dried fruit and nuts. Think overproof sticky toffee pudding—in a bottle.Clyde May’s whiskey is dubbed Alabama-style thanks to the oven-dried apples May added to the barrels with the spirit. The Cask Strength expression weighs in at a stout 117 proof versus the typical bottling strength of 92. It’s also aged for eight years, producing a whiskey with flavors of apple, pepper and oak. Only 3,000 bottles were produced.

Depending on the bottling, Four Roses uses one of two mash bills (75–20–5 and 60–35–5, corn/rye/malted barley) and one of five proprietary yeast strains. The Single Barrel uses a yeast that produces notes of caramel and vanilla along with the 60-percent corn mash bill. The result is floral and spicy on the nose with a mellow flavor that hints at stone fruit, as well as maple syrup and cocoa. The price point makes this bottle a steal.
Wondering why you should try this boozy beast? Hint: It’s not so that you can prove how tough you are. For some, it’s the allure of tasting a whiskey that is undiluted, thus in a very pure form. For others, it’s because you can control the dilution yourself. Or perhaps you appreciate how the higher ABV tends to shine in certain cocktails where the drink naturally gets watered down in the process. Whatever your reason, even simple curiosity, these are seven cask-strength whiskeys to try.Aged eight years in new charred oak, this barrel-proof rye comes out at 121.5 proof versus the 92 proof of the standard bottle. The mash bill is a hefty 95 percent rye with 5 percent malted barley. The honeyed color leads to scents of caramel and an herbal note. In the mouth, there’s more caramel with spice, vanilla, leather and nuts. Meaning “the original” in Gaelic, A’bunadh focuses on traditional methods in its distillation, much the way that founder James Fleming would have made it. The whisky is non-chill-filtered and matured in oloroso sherry butts. (Redbreast’s Lustau Edition uses the same style of sherry casks.) Depending on the batch, the proof can vary slightly, but all of the bottlings share the same bold, complex flavors. The sherry scent comes out in the nose with baking spices and orange. More sherry and orange follow on the palate, complemented by dried fruit and chocolate. Crafted in the same manner as the flagship Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7, this potent whiskey is bottled between 125 and 140 proof. The same cave spring water, as well as the proprietary yeast and charcoal-mellowing process that are used in the standard bottling, are employed here. After the latter process, the spirit is placed in charred white American oak barrels and aged in the upper levels of the barrelhouse. The character of the Barrel Proof is influenced by the changes in weather and its effect on the wood, melding with and intensifying the traditional vanilla and oak flavors for which J.D. is known.

Every time Angel’s Envy announces a new cask-strength iteration, it sells out almost immediately, regardless of price. Fewer than 8,000 bottles were released, but it’s worth getting your hands on one if you can. The spirit is aged for up to six years, then finished in ruby port wine casks made of French oak for three to six months. At 124.6 proof, the bourbon has a complex aroma of berries and spice with flavors of caramel, coffee and dried figs.
WARNING: Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects.The collection comprises Cask Strength Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey, Cask Strength Emerald Giant Rye Whiskey and Cask Strength Lost Monarch, which is a blend of rye and bourbon.

David Morrow is the managing editor of Whiskey Raiders and has been with the company since September 2021. David has worked in journalism since 2015 and has had bylines at Sports Illustrated, Def Pen, the Des Moines Register and the Quad City Times. David holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Saint Louis University and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. When he’s not tasting the newest exciting whiskey releases, David enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, watching sports and traveling.
Here at Whiskey Raiders, we do more than write about current events in Whiskey. We are the only media property reviewing whiskeys and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the whiskey world in one place. We also scour the internet daily in search of the best whiskey deals out there. If you’re interested in having a great whiskey deal and the latest news and reviews delivered to your inbox each morning, sign up for our Daily Deal Newsletter!The three expressions of Redwood Empire Whiskey’s Cask Strength collection are available nationwide in limited quantities at a suggested retail price of $70 per 750-milliliter bottle.

This post may contain affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site. This helps support Whiskey Raiders at no additional cost to you.
The cask strength releases are bottled at proofs ranging from 116.4 to 117.2. The brand said in a news release that these proofs are lower than many other cask strength whiskeys because of the time spent aging in the temperate climate in California’s fog belt.

Why is cask strength so expensive?
Alcohol tax is a key contributor to the cost of cask strength single cask whiskies.
“We are extremely proud of the craft and complexity that our Cask Strength showcases,” Master Distiller Jeff Duckhorn said. “Experiencing Redwood Empire straight from the barrel is the preferred way I enjoy our whiskeys!”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. 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. “Named for the 14th tallest tree on the planet, Pipe Dream is our first Bourbon whiskey. Pipe Dream Bourbon is made from a high corn mash-bill and blended from barrels aged between four and twelve years. Smooth and complex, it is a true sipping whiskey.” Blackwell’s Wines and Spirits is a beloved family run business with two locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 2004, owners Dita and Gary Blackwell curate a collection of unique wines and spirits and ship them globally. “Cask strength represents the best of what spirits have to offer,” says head distiller, Lauren Patz. “Buying whiskey at cask strength empowers drinkers to explore the breadth that the spirit provides.”

Redwood Empire Whiskey’s cask strength range includes three full, undiluted and unfiltered expressions of the brand’s existing offerings: Pipe Dream Bourbon, Emerald Giant Rye, and Lost Monarch, a whiskey blend of Bourbon and Rye. Each expression has its own unique tasting notes. The Cask Strength Pipe Dream Bourbon (116.8 proof) has a rich and complex flavor profile, featuring toffee, cherry, and soft leather on the nose and cherry cola, honey butterscotch and pecans on the palate. The Cask Strength Emerald Giant Rye (116.4 proof) boasts delicate herbal tea, soft cinnamon and dried orange peel on the nose, with earl grey tea, viscous dark chocolate, coffee beans and a warm spice finish on the palate. Finally, the Cask Strength Lost Monarch Whiskey Blend (117.2 proof) offers vibrant, earthy notes and mint chocolate ice cream on the nose, with warm spices, dried apricot and a white pepper finish on the palate.
Consumers who have enjoyed Redwood Empire’s core range at 90 proof can now experience the full intensity and complexity of the whiskeys straight from the barrel. The cask strength expressions are offered annually for those who crave bold and flavorful whiskey.GRATON, Calif., May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Redwood Empire Whiskey, a distinct California whiskey made and aged in the ancient forests of the Redwood Empire, doubles down with its second allocation of cask strength whiskey. Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural release in October 2022, the brand has increased its volumes of uncut and unfiltered expressions. Our distillery is in the heart of the Russian River Valley wine region. It was carved out of the buildings originally housing an apple canning and processing plant owned by the Hallberg family, one of the area’s preeminent families during “West County’s” apple production heyday. The Hallbergs were known for producing a wide variety of apple products, mainly under the Redwood Empire label. Today, the facility and the climate make this the ideal place to make great whiskey, with plenty of relics on site to remind us of our ties to a rich agricultural history. Redwood Empire is more than a cool name, its our home and a source of inspiration. With John Muir as our guide, protecting our environment has become our mantra. We have built sustainability into everything we do.Our still allows us to distill in a single pass, preserving both water and energy. Local farmers use our nutrient rich mash as feed for livestock. And our state of the art water reclamation facility assures only pure water re-enters our water table. Headquartered in sunny San Diego California, Notable Distinction is your go-to source for the latest noteworthy & luxury goods, travel destinations, tech, lifestyle & more. A rye whiskey blend of four-to six-year-old components. This rye is aged for a minimum of four years with components up to six-years-old. Aged exclusively in 53-gallon barrels with Level 3 Char, this Rye is 116.4 proof. This release features a 3-grain mash bill that has aromas of orange peel, maple and soft cinnamon. There is cracked pepper, pecan and espresso on the palate. Cask Strength Emerald Giant gets its name from the fastest growing redwood in the world. 96 Points, The Tasting PanelThe Emerald Giant Rye comes in at a very modest price. The $30-40 range is where, I believe, you find the some of the best sipping whiskey at a reasonable price, and this hits the nail on the head. If you like rye whiskey and MGP ryes, this won’t be something new and extravagant for you. If you’re not as familiar with rye whiskey, there aren’t many better places to start than this. Ultimately, this is just a solid sipping whiskey – no less, but not much more.

How much is Redwood Empire cask?
$70 per 750 The three expressions of Redwood Empire Whiskey’s Cask Strength collection are available nationwide in limited quantities at a suggested retail price of $70 per 750-milliliter bottle.
I’ve crushed my fair share of Twisted Tea out on the golf course, the water, or wherever I may be. Deep Eddy’s Sweet Tea Vodka was also my favorite alcohol back in high school. So, naturally, when I walked by Twisted Tea Sweet Tea Whiskey, I just couldn’t help myself. I’m not in high school…Redwood Empire’s Emerald Giant Rye doesn’t reinvent the wheel. They don’t get style points for depth and complexity. There’s no fancy double barreling and extra aging. It’s just a tasteful, smooth rye whiskey. I drink a lot of MGP rye whiskey, and I like a lot of MGP rye whiskey. While they have their subtle differences, it’s not too far off from other MGP selections. I’d compare it to Clyde May’s Rye, however Emerald Giant is a little sweeter with less spice.Here at Barrel and Brew, we’ve reviewed and discussed a lot of different whiskeys. One thing we haven’t gotten into yet is Japanese Whisky. I figured it was about time to change that with this review of Sensei Whiskey. While there are much bigger brands we could’ve started with such as Nikka, Suntory, or Hibiki,…

Who owns Redwood Empire?
And it all started with Kevin Barr, owner of Redwood Empire Vineyard Management (REVM).
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant met my expectations. But let me get something straight…. my expectations were pretty high going in. It does everything well, nothing outstanding, though. It’s smooth, it’s easy, it’s light and flavorful, there’s balance, and a pleasant mouthfeel. On the other hand, it lacks a certain amount of complexity and uniqueness. There’s nothing new or groundbreaking here, just another good bottle of rye whiskey. While I enjoyed Pipe Dream Bourbon, I really prefer rye whiskey. It’ll be interesting to see how Redwood Empire’s Emerald Giant Rye stacks up to their bourbon. If you’re interested in finding out, just keep on reading. Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to get into the meat and potatoes of things. Is Emerald Giant a good rye? What does it taste like. On to the best part – pouring myself a glass!We are constantly on the search to find new whiskeys to add to our liquor shelf. Even if we don’t like a whiskey, it’s fun to try new stuff from different distillers and regions. While we’ve been expanding our reach, we haven’t ventured to spirits distilled around the pacific northwest. That changes today as we…

Russell’s Reserve is a brand meant to celebrate two of the most famed master distillers, father and son duo Jimmy and Eddie Russell. Now, we’ll get to that more in a bit, but we wanted to take a look at a rye whiskey that is made by leaders in the bourbon world. Our review on…
I am a certified Whiskey Specialist who reviews and blogs about all different types of whiskey. I’ve tasted over 250 unique whiskeys and am in the process of getting my Masters of Whiskey. Follow along as I share some of the best (and worst) whiskeys around.

Palate: The rye spice is apparent. It’s a lighter flavor, but very much there. Pear, along with some lemon, seem to be the most prominent fruit notes, and there’s a nice oaky flavor, too.Brown-Forman may be most known for its brands Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve, and Old-Forester, but they have plenty of other spirits to choose from. One of those is Coopers’ Craft Bourbon. It’s a whiskey that undergoes charcoal filtering and is meant to honor the barrel makers of Brown-Forman. We figured this was a unique bourbon…

At the end of the day, this goes down as a whiskey that will always have a place on our shelf. Nothing extraordinary, just good whiskey. For $35, that’s about as much as you can ask for.
Redwood Empire Whiskey was founded in 2011 by Derek Benham, but they didn’t release their first whiskeys until 2015-2016. It took over four years for them to get their bottles on their shelf because they distill their own whiskey and age it a minimum of 4 years. Redwood Empire’s distillery is named Graton Distilling Co and is located in Sonoma County, the heart of the wine making region.

Basil Hayden is most known for their Kentucky Straight Bourbon, the lighter small batch selection of Beam Suntory. As someone who enjoys Basil Hayden Bourbon, I thought I’d give their Dark Rye a chance, especially since I have an affinity for rye whiskey. However, Basil Hayden Dark Rye threw me somewhat of a curveball. I…
Redwood Empire may get its name from the redwood trees in the region, but their individual whiskeys are named after specific trees. In this case, Redwood’s rye whiskey is named after the Emerald Giant Tree. At over 360 feet tall and 1180 years of age, this is the fastest growing redwood in the world. It’s said to gain 1500 lbs. of mass each year.

Redwood Empire gets its name from the trees located in the northern parts of California and southern parts of Oregon. Sequoioideae, known as redwoods, are the largest and tallest trees in the world and are only found in regions of California and Oregon.
It should also be noted that for every bottle of Redwood Empire Whiskey purchased, they pledge to plant a tree. They work with One Tree Planted and Trees For The Future to protect our forests.Recently, we wrote a review of Redwood Empire’s Pipe Dream Bourbon, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, we enjoyed it enough to pick up a bottle of their rye whiskey, Emerald Giant, to review. One reason we love Redwood Empire is that they don’t just source whiskey, they also distill their own to add to their bottles. It’s a nice change-up from the whiskey’s that simply buy from distilleries, package, and sell.While the price can be closer to the $40 mark in places such as California or New York, most Total Wine stores had Redwood Empire Rye available for under $35.MGP’s rye mashbill is 95% rye and 5% malted barley, so I presume that Redwood Empire is using the same mash for their distillate. Another note is that Redwood’s Pipe Dream Bourbon was aged 4-12 years and the Emerald Giant is 3-5 years.

Barrel and Brew is a whiskey review blog dedicated to tasting and reviewing a wide variety of whiskeys. From the typical Bourbons and Rye’s to more unique things like Japanese whiskey – we have reviewed hundreds of bottles ranging from $15 to $100+. We are Certified Whiskey Specialists and drink everything we review – follow along to discover some new whiskey favorites.
Redwood Empire offers 8 different selections of whiskey, so we figured we’d briefly touch upon them. There are 3 standard selections offered – Pipe Dream Bourbon, Emerald Giant Rye, and Lost Monarch. Each of these three also has a cask strength option.