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California Whiskey Label Redwood Empire Adds New Bottlings

California based Purple Wine + Spirits, headed by industry veteran Derek Benham, launched a few years back its Redwood Empire Whiskey label. We had previously reviewed its one offering to decidedly mixed results, and now the brand is back again with a couple of new offerings as well as a good looking rebrand.

The Redwood Empire Whiskey brand, according to those behind it, now has three bottlings, all of which are select blends of aged whiskeys between 4-12 years that feature new labels inspired by California’s most iconic conservationist, John Muir. They are as follows:

  • “Lost Monarch” Blend of Straight Whiskeys (this is likely the one we previously reviewed): Named for the tallest tree in the Redwood Empire’s Grove of Titans, this blend of rye and bourbon is crafted from three to five year-old rye, and four to twelve year-old bourbon.
  • “Pipe Dream” Bourbon: Standing at 367 feet, “Pipe Dream” is the fourteenth tallest tree on earth. Blended from barrels that have been aging anywhere between four and twelve years, this bourbon is a deep golden color with rich, complex flavors of vanilla, roasted pecans and a slight woody char.
  • “Emerald Giant” Rye: This expression’s namesake is the tallest tree in the Emerald Grove. It is blended from rye barrels aged three to five years and brings an amalgamation of spice, orange peel, a hint of honey and peppery cinnamon finish.

All three whiskeys are representative of the “Redwood Empire,” a stretch of land in Sonoma County, California, that is home to uniquely indigenous trees that are some of the tallest on earth. Each one is named, as you can note from the information above, for a tree in this particular region.

Redwood Empire whiskeys
The whiskeys of the Redwood Empire brand (image via Purple Wine + Spirits)

“We set out to create a portfolio of whiskeys that are a true reflection of the spirit and landscape of our Northern California home – rugged, pioneering, adventurous, and aesthetically beautiful,” said Redwood Empire head distiller Jeff Duckhorn in a prepared statement. “Sonoma County has been an early pioneer of the craft beverage scene, starting with wine, and in recent years, beer; we believe that now is the time for spirits to gain attention as the next stage of Sonoma’s craft beverage story.”

As it stands now plans call for all three whiskeys to price around $45 per 750 ml bottle. In conjunction with this brand expansion, Redwood Empire Whiskey is partnering with Trees for the Future (TREES), an NGO responsible for planting over 170 million trees since 1989, to plant a tree for every bottle of Redwood Empire sold. TREES “trains farmers to plant and manage Forest Gardens that help them sustainably feed their families, raise their incomes and end deforestation.”

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