Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Triple Toasted Review: Worth $70?

Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Triple Toasted gives us a balanced, oak-forward bourbon that drinks hotter than its 92 proof suggests. The triple-toast character works, bringing sweet flavors alongside bold oak. Its roughly $70 MSRP is a bigger sticking point for us than the flavor.

At a glance

• Style: Four-grain, triple-toasted bourbon.
• Proof: 92.
• Release: Limited special release.
• Price: Around $70 MSRP; we paid $60.
• Steve’s rating: Solid double on our scale.
• Tom’s rating: High blue, still a solid blue.

Nose: vanilla, caramel, and two different oak impressions

Our review came about two weeks after opening the bottle. It has a real cork, and the bourbon’s color is medium, with nothing especially striking. The nose is where it starts getting interesting.

We get vanilla, caramel, a little cherry, graham cracker, and marshmallow. There are also two distinct toasted impressions: one bold and spicy, the other creamy, relaxed, and softly sweet.

That creamy vanilla reminds us of French oak. The bolder side smells like the Garryana oak we’ve tasted before, and we think that oak contributes the spicier character here.

Palate: burnt honey, dark cherry, and creamy sweetness

Burnt honey and burnt caramel hit right away. We mean that in a good way: a crisp, toasted sweetness, with dark cherry underneath.

There’s a little spice, but not a big blast of baking spice. The texture feels creamy, which we associate with the French oak influence.

This drinks hotter than 92 proof. One of us warmed up with a 100-proof Cooper’s beforehand, and that drank with less heat than this bottle.

We weren’t sure how well three different oak finishes would work together. The balance surprised us. There’s plenty of toasted character, but the oak influences don’t feel like they’re fighting each other.

Finish: toasted oak outlasts the fruit

The toasted oak carries through the finish. Dark cherry and cinnamon fade sooner, leaving the oak as the clear standout.

We get some tannins at the end, but they aren’t off-putting. There’s also a little spice and structure that reminds us most of Garryana oak.

Our experience with Garryana is limited to a couple of tastings, but it has tended toward a harsher finish for us. We think it may contribute that firmer edge here.

Tom wanted more staying power from the flavors beyond the oak. The creamy texture was pleasant, but it didn’t deliver the fuller mouthfeel he enjoys.

Value and availability: a local find with a price hurdle

Our bottle came from Edgewater Liquors, just south of Annapolis. We also spotted it at ABE and D Liquors in Prince George’s County.

Availability varies by market. We’ve seen it in a few places, but it isn’t sitting in every store. Locally, it seems obtainable if you’re looking for it.

Steve likes the unique triple-toast character and the flavors across the nose, palate, and finish. He doesn’t love the price, though. A lower cost or something extra, possibly higher proof, would make it more convincing for him.

Tom also thinks the oak is well balanced, but he wants more punch. At this price, the bottle asks a lot for a lower-proof sipper, even one that drinks hotter than its stated proof.

Old Forester 1910 and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked comparisons

Old Forester 1910 and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked are the bottles we’d put in the same conversation. These are style comparisons, not a side-by-side tasting.

Steve loves Old Forester 1910 and considers it his go-to for a toasted style. Tom likes Woodford Reserve Double Oaked.

If those bottles appeal to you, Pipe Dream Triple Toasted offers the vanilla, caramel, and pecan flavors we enjoy in this lane, without tasting like a sugar bomb.

Toasted bourbon fans are the best fit

We think toasted bourbon fans will enjoy this bottle. High-proof drinkers may find its extra heat interesting, but it still isn’t a high-proof bourbon. If your ideal pour combines heavy oak, higher proof, and a fuller mouthfeel, this mainly delivers the oak.

For shorter tastings, check out Whiskey on the Fly, our weekend series of quick whiskey samples in videos under five minutes.