Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey
Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey is a 45% ABV (90 proof), 750mL straight bourbon from California — per the brand's current spec sheet, a four-grain mash of 73% corn, 18% rye, 5% malted barley and 4% wheat, blended from barrels aged 4 to 14 years, with components distilled in California, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee and married under Master Distiller Jeff Duckhorn. It is named for Pipe Dream, a coast redwood standing 367 feet tall — the 14th tallest tree on the planet. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Straight bourbon whiskey (blend of straight bourbons)
- Mash bill: 73% corn, 18% rye, 5% malted barley, 4% wheat (current brand spec sheet)
- Ages: Barrels aged 4–14 years
- Components: Distilled in California, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee (brand statement)
- Origin: Blended by Redwood Empire Whiskey, California (Mare Island, Vallejo since 2025)
- Namesake: The Pipe Dream redwood, 367 ft, Humboldt Redwoods
- Press: 94 points, Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Spirits of 2021
A Blend as Big as Its Namesake
Pipe Dream is the bourbon foundation of the Redwood Empire range — the house blending philosophy applied to America's native spirit: its own distillate plus sourced bourbon from four states, younger barrels for energy and older ones (up to fourteen years on the current sheet) for depth. Founder Derek Benham's team named it for a redwood so tall it ranks among the fourteen tallest trees ever measured, some 1,340 years old in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The distillery moved from Graton to Mare Island in 2025, and every bottle still plants another tree through the Trees for the Future partnership running since 2019. Browse the house on the Redwood Empire Whiskey vendor page, meet its rye sibling Emerald Giant, or compare across the bourbon whiskey collection.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep golden hue (brand). Nose: Powerful and sweet — maple, vanilla and a hint of honey. Palate: Rich, deep and complex: roasted pecan and vanilla with lingering char and woody notes. Finish: Smooth, with a hint of black pepper (brand spec sheet).
How to Enjoy
Neat or on a large cube to keep the balance the blenders built; at 90 proof it is also a generous Old Fashioned bourbon, the older barrels giving it staying power against bitters and dilution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pipe Dream distilled in California? Partly — the brand states its bourbon components are distilled in California, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, then blended by Redwood Empire in California.
How old is it? A blend of barrels aged 4 to 14 years on the brand's current spec sheet; it carries no single age statement because the blend spans that range. (Older listings show 4–12 years — the recipe was updated.)
What tree is it named for? Pipe Dream, a coast redwood of 367 feet in Humboldt Redwoods State Park — the fourteenth-tallest known tree on earth, around 1,340 years old.
Four grains, four states, fourteen years of barrels — order Pipe Dream Bourbon from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
