Whiskey from California’s Wine Country (Episode 905: October 27, 2021)

Northern California is known for its wines, but distillers have been quietly making excellent whiskies there for many years. Now, Sonoma County’s Redwood Empire Distillery is releasing its first bottled in bond whiskies: Grizzly Beast Bourbon and Rocket Top Rye, named for some of California’s legendary redwood trees. Distillers Jeff Duckhorn and Lauren Patz join us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth along with CEO Aaron Webb. In the news, the Heaven Hill strike is over after six weeks, and you’ll hear from the union leader who led 420 workers out on strike and back to work starting this week. We’ll have the latest whisky news, tasting notes, and another comparison between wine and whisky in our Behind the Label segment.

Links: Redwood Empire | Heaven Hill | United Food & Commercial Workers | Horse Soldier Bourbon | Kentucky Distillers Association | Booker’s Bourbon | Michter’s | Jeptha Creed | Blue Run Spirits | Hirsch Whiskey | Tomatin | Compass Box | Nc’Nean Distillery | Westward Whiskey | Good Deeds Whiskey | Canadian Club | J.P. Wiser’s | International Wine & Spirits Competition | Jack Daniel’s | Filibuster Distillery | The Judgement of Westland