Redwood Empire Whiskey has introduced Colonel Armstrong Wheated Bourbon, a new four-grain expression made in Vallejo, California. The whiskey is available online now and rolling out to retailers across the US at a suggested retail price of $39.99.
The bourbon blends Redwood Empire’s own grain-to-glass spirit with hand-selected high-wheat bourbons sourced from Kentucky and Indiana. Those sourced components range from four to 14 years old. Wheat accounts for 30% of the overall mash bill. The brand said this is more than double the wheat content found in many wheated bourbons.
“Each component of this ‘Ode to Wheat’ is intentionally selected to serve a purpose, adding nuance, texture, complexity and culminating in a high-wheated whiskey greater than the sum of its parts,” said master blender Lauren Patz.
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READ THE STORYAccording to the official notes from the brand, the whiskey offers ripe stone fruit, honeyed grain and vanilla, alongside “a nostalgic hint of a strawberry jam sandwich,” balanced by gentle baking spice and integrated oak.
Master distiller Jeff Duckhorn pointed to the liquid’s accessibility. “The beauty of this whiskey is its balance,” Duckhorn said. “It’s approachable from the first sip but continues to reveal new layers of flavor and character as you spend time with it.”
The expression is named after Colonel James Armstrong. In the 1870s, Armstrong transferred ownership of the land that would later become Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve to his daughter Kate for “$1, love, and affection.” The act helped preserve the ancient redwood forest.
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Coordinates printed on each bottle lead consumers to the Colonel Armstrong Tree, a 1,400-year-old redwood behind the label. Redwood Empire Whiskey has planted more than 1.8 million trees through its reforestation initiatives since launching in 2019.
The brand describes itself as California’s number one whiskey label, producing bourbons, ryes and American whiskeys from Northern California.
