Whiskey production in California has been steadily growing in recent years, so now there’s plenty of options when I’m looking for something new. But, one brand I’ve consistently seen for the past few years is Redwood Empire. And, while they offer a few different whiskies, Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon seems like a great place to start. Redwood Empire Distillery, based in Sonoma County, California, draws inspiration from the natural beauty of Northern California. Each of their whiskies is named after a famous redwood tree, and features artwork inspired by the renowned conservationist John Muir. This bourbon is named for Pipe Dream […]
When I think about the states in America that produce bourbon, Colorado definitely isn’t top of mind. But, Mile High Spirits have been producing bourbon, alongside with a whole bunch of other spirits, in their Denver-based distillery since 2011. And they were generous enough to send us a bottle of their flagship Fireside Bourbon Whiskey along with their Fireside Old Fashioned. Mile High Spirits primarily uses local ingredients, including locally grown corn, barley, and rye, when producing Fireside Bourbon. After the spirit is distilled in copper stills and aged for a minimum of 2 years, the whiskey is diluted to 40% ABV with filtered […]
After enjoying the original Woodford Reserve Bourbon last year, I was looking forward to tasting more of their products. And since I’d previously been recommended Woodford Reserve Double Oaked from a few different people, I made it a priority to try it as soon as possible. Double Oaked refers to another added step in the aging process. After the Woodford Reserve bourbon is fully matured in new charred oak barrels, the spirit is moved to another oak barrel to continue aging. This second barrel is deeply toasted before being lightly charred and added extra flavor. BOTTLE SPECS ❖ Spirit: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ❖ Distillery: […]
Despite reviewing plenty of affordable bourbons, there is still a few popular brands I’ve never tried before. And I thought the new year was a perfect time to try out a Four Roses product with Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon. The history of the Four Roses brand begins around 1888, when the name was trademarked by whiskey producer Paul Jones Jr. The whiskey’s production continued in Louisville, Kentucky until its purchase by the Seagram company in 1943. The Four Roses brand was then discontinued in the US in the 1950’s, but its sale continued in Europe and Asia. It was made available in the United States again in 2002 when Kirin Brewery […]
There are few things more iconic in bourbon than the bright red wax bottle top of Maker’s Mark Bourbon. It always catches my eye on store shelves, but I’d never tasted it until now. Maker’s Mark was first put into production in 1953 by Bill Samuel, Sr. He and multiple generations of his family have continued to run the distillery on the same grounds in Loretto, Kentucky called Star Hill Farm. While Bill Samuels ran the distillery operations, his wife, Margie, had just as big an impact on Maker’s Mark. She named it, designed the logo and and came up with the iconic waxed dipped bottle top. BOTTLE SPECS ❖ Spirit: Kentucky Straight Bourbon […]