Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast Bottled in Bond Bourbon (Batch 3)

There's a lot to discover here. Several tasters at a recent informal gathering with friends enjoyed it. It bears resemblance to a particular bourbon mash bill, and I plan to compare them. This is an intriguing, well-crafted bourbon, and its bottled-in-bond status is a plus. It offers a smooth, consistent taste experience with syrupy undertones. Dark cherry is the dominant flavor, alongside other fruits and a tanginess that's hard to pinpoint initially. As a 5-grain bourbon, this 2018 batch differs in mash bill from the 2017 4-grain version. It has a light, syrupy texture. For a 5-year-old, it's remarkably smooth and consistent, lacking expected oak notes. I'm eager to see how this Northern California distillery develops further, building on this 5-year experience. I'd prefer to see it priced in the $60-70 range.

NEAT SMELL - Lots of Caramel with hints of Cherry TASTE - Sticky, thick caramel that coats the palate, supported by some cherry at the end. AFTERTASTE - Incredibly smooth but brief, unfortunately. WORTH BUYING? - Absolutely, but I wish the price was about $10-15 lower. WOULD BUY AGAIN? - Maybe not this batch because of the price, but I do anticipate future batches.

Nose: notes of fruit, earth, baking spices, and caramel. There's a hint of bitter oak that I'm unsure I find entirely pleasant. Taste: Caramel, earthy, baking spice, and oak. Score: 3.75 out of 5