Sonoma Distilling's California Bourbon is made from a blend of wheated and high-rye bourbon, aged a minimum of three years. The mashbill includes corn, wheat, rye and malted barley. Bottled at 92 proof it hosts a suggested retail price of $39.99.
The mouthfeel is light, but it’s still a flavorful bourbon. A simple one, but flavorful, with an earthy caramel base and a layer of candy corn on top, plus a very modest woody tinge. The finish, however, runs quite short.
This blows off fairly quickly, though, revealing the hefty lumberyard influence underneath. That follows through to the palate, where a lovely caramel corn note kicks things off, only for a quite burly sawdust character to quickly take over. It’s a tough thing to shake, and it’s at its strongest on the finish, where hints of cloves and graphite at least add some spicy nuance.
