Last month, my wife and I decided that we were going to participate in Dry January this year. Not for any real reason. It just seemed like something to kick us out of our rut. Because of that, I needed to look ahead and see what I could find that I could taste ahead of time. I had a couple of things hanging around that I hadn’t gotten around to writing about yet, but that wasn’t enough for an entire month. So I went to the liquor store, set myself a price limit of $150, and bought everything I would taste for the coming month. What follows is one of those purchases. I mention this because It’s been almost a month since I made my tasting notes and…well…I don’t remember much other than what I wrote down
It’s the penultimate post of Dry January. And we are going to dig right into the whiskey tonight. I’ve meant to get to this one since I reviewed its cousin, Pipe Dream Bourbon. At that time, a reader recommended I give this a try. Well, last month, I finally picked it up.
To recap what we learned back in July 2023, Redwood Empire Whiskey is a craft distillery that opened its doors in 2014 in beautiful Sonoma County, California. Now owned by Purple Brands of Petaluma, California, the whiskey is produced in Graton, California, alongside Benham’s Gin and Vodka.
This particular release, Emerald Giant, is a blend of both in-house distilled rye and rye sourced from Indiana and Kentucky. The constituent parts are listed as between three and five years old on the company website. And the mash bill is 95% rye and 5% malted barley (also per their website). And in case you wondered where the name comes from, the rye is named for the third fastest redwood tree that has been measured. That tree is located in Redwood National Park. You can read more about the tree here should you wish.
But you want to know how it tastes, so let’s get on with it.
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye
Purchase Info: $35.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN
Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.40
Details: 45% ABV. Distilled in California, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Nose: Cedar, mint, and toasted bread.
Mouth: Cedar, mint, cinnamon, ginger, and caramel.
Finish: Medium length and warmth with lingering notes of caramel, mint, and cinnamon.
Thoughts: This is a tasty rye. It’s got lots of flavor and a very nice mouthfeel. It takes a splash of water well if you want it, but it doesn't need it. And it works nicely in a cocktail. Plus, it's not too expensive at around $35 or so. This is one to check out.
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