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Redwood Empire Lost Monarch American Whiskey Review

Can't choose between bourbon and rye? Lost Monarch blends both into one bottle—but does this "best of both worlds" whiskey truly deliver on its towering promise?

OVERALL RATING

7
$30
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Named after the world’s largest coastal Redwood, Lost Monarch whiskey has a name to live up to. An award winning bourbon-rye blend with an exceptional balance of sweetness and spice. From the company website: “The perfect choice for those who just can’t decide between rye or bourbon, we call it “the best of both worlds.””

Vital Stats:
Mash Bill:
55% Rye, 45% Bourbon
Age:
A blend of 3 to 14-year-old Bourbon & 3 to 14-year-old Rye Whiskey

About the tree Lost Monarch:
The world’s largest coast redwood by volume, the 320-feet tall, 26 feet in diameter Lost Monarch can be found in the Grove of Titans, a legendary stand of ancient conifers in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Here, amid lush ferns and densely matted epiphytes, Lost Monarch reigns over some of the world’s largest trees.

Something neat on every bottle is a John Muir quote, this bottle says, “in every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
Appearance:
Tawny clear color with thin fast legs. Tasted in Glencairn glass after resting.
Nose:
The nose had a light to medium complexity with a overtone of alcohol. There were sweet and savory notes of oak, rye spice, and medicinal tea. Sweet honey tobacco and some elderberry.
Palate:
The taste, much like the nose, was medium in complexity with a thinner mouthfeel overall. Notes were sweet and dry overall with a few sharper points. Burned sugars, dry oak, currant, black teas and dried orange peel round out the flavor. Some light rye is present here and there but overall is subtle.
Finish:
Short finish with nice white sugar and a spot of orange. There is a burn to the chest but only faintly.
Comments:
A nice dram. It is a younger whiskey with a matching complexity. There are some deeper earth flavors, likely from the older stock used in the blend, but not enough to really overtake the flavor. I think this is a great whiskey for individuals newer to whiskey, looking to level up their bar, or move into different whiskeys. It’s a Rye/Bourbon blend of various ages. That is fun.

Share this, enjoy it, mix it, take it on a hike, and sip it under the biggest tree you can find.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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