Redwood Empire Kicks Off New Single Barrel Program With Its Oldest Whiskeys Yet

On Thursday, California whiskey distillery Redwood Empire unveiled its new single barrel program, named Haystack Needle.

The program debuts with the brand’s oldest whiskeys yet, according to Redwood Empire, although the ages have not been revealed. Both whiskeys have an MSRP of $120. Each expression’s ABV varies from a range of 113 to 126 proof.

Redwood Empire allowed retail partners, bars and whiskey clubs to taste and select their own barrels of Haystack Needle for their customers.

(Photo: Redwood Empire)

“We have a deep connection with every barrel we make and a dedication to quality guides us through every step of the whiskey-making process,” Redwood Empire Master Distiller Jeff Duckhorn said in a statement. “We only distill four barrels a day and are focused on crafting spirits that truly express the grain character.”

The bottles’ distinctive packaging — possessing a bark texture meant to mimic redwood trees — was designed with Stranger & Stranger, a packaging design company.

The distillery claims the grains in the mashbill of both its single-barrel rye and bourbon are sourced from local farms. The program is composed of 53 “meticulously toasted and charred barrels” in what the brand refers to as the largest warehouse in California. Redwood Empire expresses that the cool climate gives each expression plenty of balance regarding flavor profile.

Redwood Empire Master Blender Lauren Patz claimed that the barrels selected for the latest releases of bourbon and rye represent what the Redwood Empire team prioritizes in whiskey, a “quiet, yet steadfast depth with layered influence that holds its own amongst the giants of the spirits industry.”

The California whiskey brand is known for its whiskeys that pay homage to the state’s impressive Redwood trees. In May 2023, Redwood Empire released a second iteration of the brand’s cask strength range. The collection consisted of a launch of cask-strength expressions of Emerald Giant Rye, Lost Monarch — a blend of bourbon and rye and Pipe Dream Bourbon.