{"title":"Redwood Empire","description":"\u003cp\u003eRedwood Empire ages its whiskey on the Northern California coast. Brand manager Elliott Sneen says the barrels there gain about a proof point a year instead of losing it. The whiskey goes into barrel at 110, so a cask-strength label doubles as a rough age read. Nearly every bottle is named for a real coast redwood, and some carry the tree's GPS coordinates on the neck.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaster distiller Jeff Duckhorn was a cost accountant when distilling started in 2015, in the back of a Sonoma County winery. The distillery now sits on Mare Island in Vallejo. In July, Redwood Empire filled our Bourbon-of-the-Month Club and Whiskey-of-the-Month Club. We carry four of those bottles: Pipe Dream 101, Devils Tower high-rye bourbon, Van Duzen straight rye, and Lost Monarch Cask Strength.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"redwood-empire-devils-tower-high-rye-bourbon","title":"Redwood Empire Devils Tower High Rye Bourbon","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe tree is named after the monument. The bourbon is named after the tree.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDevils Tower is a coast redwood in Redwood National Park, 340 feet tall and 9 feet across. Redwood Empire says the tree took its name from the rock formation in Wyoming. The bourbon has nothing to do with Wyoming beyond that, as brand manager Elliott Sneen told us: \"no association aside from the name.\" The tree's GPS coordinates are printed on the neck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"High rye\" has no legal definition. Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn, and the distiller decides how much rye goes into the rest. In Batch 003 it's 38% rye, with 54% corn, 4% wheat and 4% malted barley. The first batch ran 45% rye. Sneen says the drop probably came down to palate and how the barrels pulled together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's part of Redwood Empire's Small Lot Series, which the distillery uses to show off a secondary grain. Batch 003 was blended from 69 barrels, all distilled grain to glass, and it carries \"Straight Bourbon Whiskey\" on the label. Sneen finds it earthy, with \"some of that sort of like cherry cola-esque\" quality layered with spice. His word for it is \"Dr. Peppery.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLook closely at the bark on the label. Sneen says there are six or seven wolves hidden in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt 99 proof it works neat and holds its own in an Old Fashioned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e hay, licorice, eucalyptus, lingonberry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e grapefruit pith, cardamom, crisp mint, tobacco\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e burnt orange\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBottle Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCategory: Straight bourbon whiskey (high rye)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeries: Small Lot Series, Batch 003\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge: No age statement (as a straight bourbon, at least four years old)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMash bill: 54% corn, 38% rye, 4% wheat, 4% malted barley\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBarrels: 69\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCask: Toasted, char 3\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProof \/ ABV: 99 proof \/ 49.5%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistillery: Redwood Empire, Northern California\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBottle size: 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePoured by Bourbon-of-the-Month Club Explorer members in July 2026.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does \"high rye\" mean?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere's no legal definition. A bourbon has to be at least 51% corn, and \"high rye\" means the distiller gave rye a bigger share of the rest than usual. This batch is 38% rye.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this bourbon have anything to do with Devils Tower in Wyoming?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOnly the name. The bourbon is named for a coast redwood in Redwood National Park, and that tree is named for the Wyoming landmark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy do reviews list a different mash bill?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMost reviews cover Batch 001, which was 45% rye from 25 barrels. Batch 003 is 38% rye from 69 barrels. Each batch prints its own mash bill on the label.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"good-in\"\u003eGood in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/bourbon-for-old-fashioned\"\u003ean Old Fashioned\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/whiskey-for-manhattan\"\u003ea Manhattan\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Redwood Empire","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49135958720666,"sku":"VWS200429740","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/files\/redwood-empire-devils-tower-home-bar.jpg?v=1791924924"},{"product_id":"redwood-empire-van-duzen-rye","title":"Redwood Empire Van Duzen Straight Rye Whiskey","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAlmost a third of this rye is malted barley.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVan Duzen is a straight rye, so rye leads: 66% of the mash. The surprise is the rest. Malted barley makes up 32%, and the label calls it a \"high malt mash.\" Malted barley is barley that's been sprouted and dried so its starch turns to fermentable sugar. In most whiskeys it's a small supporting grain. Redwood Empire's own Devils Tower bourbon uses 4%.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe malt here is the dark kind. Brand manager Elliott Sneen says they use \"malts that you would normally throw in for porters and stouts, your chocolate malts,\" and they switch varieties almost every batch. What it does in the glass, in his words: \"this kind of roasty, toasty, actually chocolatey kind of note.\" Rye drinkers usually brace for spice. Sneen says the goal was a rye that \"isn't too astringent\" and has a long finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVan Duzen is one of the few Redwood Empire bottles named for a river instead of a tree. The Van Duzen River feeds the Eel River in Humboldt County, and Redwood Empire says it's named for James Van Duzen, part of the 1849 Josiah Gregg party, the first group to make the overland trip to Humboldt Bay. The label shows a kayaker on the river. Turn the bottle upside down and, Sneen says, an owl appears.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePour it neat. At 94 proof Sneen calls it a nice after-dinner sip, and he told us he wouldn't put it in a cocktail. Redwood Empire doesn't publish tasting notes for Van Duzen, so the notes below are Sneen's, from our call.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e malted barley, right away\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e roasty, toasty, light chocolate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e long, not astringent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBottle Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCategory: Straight rye whiskey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeries: Small Lot Series, Batch 002\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge: No age statement (as a straight rye, at least four years old)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMash bill: 66% rye, 32% malted barley, 2% wheat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBarrels: 64\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProof \/ ABV: 94 proof \/ 47%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistillery: Redwood Empire, Northern California\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBottle size: 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePoured by Whiskey-of-the-Month Club Explorer members in July 2026.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs Van Duzen a malted rye?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. The rye isn't malted. It's a straight rye with a large share of malted barley in the mash (32%), which the label calls a high malt mash.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy doesn't it taste as spicy as other ryes?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSneen credits the dark, porter-style malted barley, which brings roasted and chocolate notes. Redwood Empire was aiming for a balanced rye that isn't astringent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy do some stores list 700ml?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBatch 001 was bottled at 700ml, with 67% rye and 31% malted barley from 45 barrels. Batch 002 is 750ml.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Redwood Empire","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49135969271962,"sku":"VWS200431592","price":80.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/files\/redwood-empire-van-duzen-home-bar.jpg?v=1791924930"},{"product_id":"redwood-empire-pipe-dream-101","title":"Redwood Empire Pipe Dream 101 Bourbon Whiskey","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThis bourbon is named after a tree you can actually go stand under.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePipe Dream is a coast redwood in the Patriarch Forest of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Redwood Empire puts it at 367 feet tall and about 1,340 years old, and the neck of the bottle prints its GPS coordinates. Nearly every bottle the distillery makes is named for a specific protected tree, and each label carries a John Muir quote. This one reads \"The power of imagination makes us infinite.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 101 isn't the everyday 90-proof Pipe Dream with less water. Redwood Empire calls it a reserve bottling: older stock, more of its own distillate, a slightly different mash bill, and a higher proof. Brand manager Elliott Sneen told us they pull it together from roughly 200 barrels, with whiskey ranging from 5 to 15 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a four-grain bourbon. Most bourbons use three grains (corn, plus rye or wheat, plus malted barley). This one uses corn, rye, malted barley and wheat. Sneen's favorite part is a dusty, old-book note on the nose that he says makes it smell older than the youngest whiskey in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTry it neat first, then add a few drops of water and see what opens up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e pumpkin pie\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e caramel apple pop, buttered bran muffin, honey stick\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e zesty lemon bar, chai spice, sugar cookie shortbread\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBottle Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCategory: Bourbon whiskey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge: No age statement (the distillery says 5 to 15 years)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMash bill: 73% corn, 19% rye, 5% malted barley, 3% wheat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProof \/ ABV: 101 proof \/ 50.5%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistillery: Redwood Empire, Northern California\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaster distiller: Jeff Duckhorn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBottle size: 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePoured by Bourbon-of-the-Month Club Intro members in July 2026.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this the same as regular Pipe Dream?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. The everyday Pipe Dream is 90 proof with a slightly different four-grain mash bill. The 101 uses older whiskey, more of Redwood Empire's own distillate, and is bottled stronger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does \"four-grain\" mean?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe mash uses four grains instead of the usual three: corn, rye, malted barley and wheat. Here that's 73% corn, 19% rye, 5% malted barley and 3% wheat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are the numbers on the neck?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe GPS coordinates of the Pipe Dream tree in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, plus its height and age. You can type them into a map and go find it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"good-in\"\u003eGood in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/bourbon-for-old-fashioned\"\u003ean Old Fashioned\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/whiskey-for-manhattan\"\u003ea Manhattan\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/whiskey-for-hot-toddy\"\u003ea hot toddy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Redwood Empire","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67745156759706,"sku":"VWS200432078","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/files\/redwood-empire-pipe-dream-101-home-bar.jpg?v=1791922329"},{"product_id":"redwood-empire-lost-monarch-cask-strength","title":"Redwood Empire Lost Monarch Cask Strength Whiskey","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe rye and the bourbon were aged apart, then married.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLost Monarch isn't made from one mash. Redwood Empire ages a rye whiskey and a bourbon separately, then blends the finished whiskeys: 55% rye, 45% bourbon. On the label that's a \"blend of straight whiskeys,\" which means every whiskey in it qualifies as straight on its own (at least two years in new charred oak, nothing added but water).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the cask-strength version, bottled uncut and unfiltered at 116.2 proof. Cask strength means no water goes in before bottling, so you get the proof the barrels gave. Brand manager Elliott Sneen told us Lost Monarch was the first whiskey the distillery ever released, back when the label just said Redwood Empire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt noses like a bourbon. Then the rye shows up in the middle of your tongue. Sneen compares that moment to Pop Rocks: \"I'm not saying it tastes like the candy, but that sensation, that sort of tickling, jumping off the tongue sensation is very much what's happening with this.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe name comes from the tree. Redwood Empire says Lost Monarch is the world's largest coast redwood, 321 feet tall, age unknown, and the GPS coordinates are printed on the neck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt this proof, start with a small pour and a few drops of water. It also makes a strong Manhattan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e vibrant, earthy, mint chocolate ice cream\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e warm spices, dried apricot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e white pepper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBottle Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCategory: Blend of straight whiskeys (rye and bourbon)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlend: 55% rye whiskey, 45% bourbon whiskey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge: No age statement (the distillery's tech sheet says components are 3 to 14 years old)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProof \/ ABV: 116.2 proof \/ 58.1%\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCask: Cask strength, uncut and unfiltered\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDistillery: Redwood Empire, Northern California\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBottle size: 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePoured by Whiskey-of-the-Month Club Intro members in July 2026.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does \"blend of straight whiskeys\" mean?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEach whiskey in the blend is a straight whiskey on its own: aged at least two years in new charred oak with nothing added but water. Here the blend is 55% straight rye and 45% straight bourbon, combined after aging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does cask strength mean?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe whiskey is bottled at the proof it came out of the barrel, with no water added. This release is 116.2 proof.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this the same as regular Lost Monarch?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. The core Lost Monarch is cut to a lower proof. This is the uncut, unfiltered version.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"good-in\"\u003eGood in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/whiskey-for-manhattan\"\u003ea Manhattan\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Redwood Empire","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67745156792474,"sku":"VWS200426481","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/files\/redwood-empire-lost-monarch-cask-strength-home-bar.jpg?v=1791922331"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0126\/5647\/6250\/collections\/redwood-empire-pipe-dream-101-home-bar.jpg?v=1793401010","url":"https:\/\/pourmore.com\/collections\/redwood-empire.oembed","provider":"PourMore ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}