Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast Bottled-in-Bond
Overall Score: 7/10
Overall Value: 3.25/5
Distillery: Redwood Empire Distilling
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Purple Brands
Release Date: Ongoing
Proof: 100
Age: 5 Years
Mashbill: 68% Corn, 18% Rye, 9% Wheat, 5% Malted Barley
Color: Lite Orange
MSRP: $80 (2025)
The Barrel Bros’ Review
The nose of this Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast Bottled-in-Bond release starts off with some unusual first impressions—think sunscreen, bug spray, and even the smell of a lake lifejacket. It sounds odd, but as it opens up, the nose softens into more traditional notes of oak, honey, and a sweet grape soda or raisin character. There’s also a touch of tootsie roll that adds to its quirky profile.
On the palate, the pour turns approachable and familiar, offering a classic bourbon backbone with cherry cola, grape, and a bit of honey sweetness. The mouthfeel is light and juicy, though the flavor leans heavily into syrupy sweetness rather than layered complexity. A faint note of oak shows up, but it never takes center stage.
The finish mirrors the palate—sweet grape and cola notes that fade fairly quickly. Some oak and even a faint “dry erase marker” quality arrive late, with a little warmth in the chest but not much depth overall.
Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast Bottled-in-Bond is a fun curiosity but ultimately an average pour at best. While fans of grape-forward flavor may enjoy its quirky sweetness, it lacks the depth and complexity expected at its current MSRP. If you stumble upon it on sale, it might be worth trying as a cocktail base or casual sipper, but there are stronger Bottled-in-Bond options in our opinion.
If you’re looking for specific notes from our Barrel Bros, read their individual reviews below!
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Individual Reviews
The Rye Guy Says
Score: 7/10
Value: 3/5
THE NOSE:
Grape soda, tootsie roll, and bug spray.
Those three scents combined is what I experience when smelling this pour, but it remains primarily sweet.
THE TASTE:
Light, juicy, and playful mouthfeel.
The grape or raisin profile really comes through with a bit of added sweetness, but straight sweetness like simple syrup or coffee sweeteners.
Then just the smallest amount of aged oak. Its not super dynamic, but I like the flavor.
THE FINISH:
The flavor of the finish didn't change for me, its the same as the palate, but the mouth gets a little burny.
It also doesn't linger for particularly long. Additional oak and a hint of dry erase marker show up much later.
BUY OR PASS?
Redwood Empire at best has just been okay for me, and this is more of the same. There are plenty of bottles I would grab before this one with the current price.
That said, raisin and grape are my jam, pun intended. It's just not stellar.
The Hunter Says
Score: 7/10
Value: 3.5/5
THE NOSE:
The nose on this one is… unique.
It instantly reminded me of sunscreen and the smell of a lifejacket at the lake. Weird, I know.
But once that fades, it shifts into something much more traditional—oak and honey, almost like walking through an old rickhouse.
THE TASTE:
The taste heads in a better direction.
It’s got that classic bourbon profile, easy and familiar, and then I start to pick up a little cherry cola.
There might be some honey in there too, but you’ve really got to dig for it.
THE FINISH:
The finish is simple but pleasant.
Nothing fancy or complex, but it wraps things up in a clean way.
BUY OR PASS?
Overall, this feels like a bourbon you don’t want to overthink. It would probably shine best in a cocktail, where those classic notes can play well with mixers.
But at $70+, it’s tough to justify when there are plenty of other bottles I’d reach for first.
