Redwood Empire Foggy Burl Single Malt Whiskey
Redwood Empire Foggy Burl Single Malt Whiskey is a 100% malted barley California single malt, distilled grain-to-glass in Sonoma County and bottled at 94 proof (47% ABV) as part of Redwood Empire's Small Lot Series. Aged in toasted and #3 charred new oak barrels with no age statement, it carries the name of one of the tallest redwoods ever measured. It's available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 47% (94 proof) — current Batch 003
- Mash bill: 100% malted barley
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: no age statement; toasted + #3 char new oak barrels
- Origin: distilled and bottled in Sonoma County, California (not sourced)
- Ratings: 95 points — The Tasting Panel; 91 points — Whisky Advocate
A Redwood in a Bottle
Foggy Burl is named for a coast redwood so tall it needed a name — roughly 346 to 347 feet, a tree that draws some 40% of its water straight from coastal fog. The label even carries the tree's GPS coordinates. That sense of place runs through the whiskey: Redwood Empire distills it themselves in Sonoma County rather than sourcing it, part of the distillery's Small Lot Series of multi-barrel blends. And the brand's "buy a bottle, plant a tree" partnership with Trees for the Future (over 1.8 million trees to date) means the bottle on your shelf has a counterpart growing somewhere. For more California whiskey, see American whiskey and the full Redwood Empire lineup.
Tasting Notes
The widely published profile opens with brandied cherries, port, cashew, and chamomile on the nose. The palate is decadent — brownie sundae, forest floor, molasses — with a long, warming finish of dark chocolate and subtle spice. Despite the woodland name, this is not a peated malt; the smoke some tasters catch is barrel char, not peat. Expect a rich, malt-driven pour with the polished oak of a well-made single malt.
How to Enjoy
Drink it neat in a Glencairn to follow the cherry-to-chocolate arc, or add a few drops of water to lift the chamomile and cashew notes. It's an ideal bridge bottle — bourbon drinkers will recognize the new-oak sweetness, Scotch drinkers the malt depth — and it holds its own against single malts twice the price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Foggy Burl peated?
No — the mash bill is 100% malted barley with no peat; any smokiness comes from the charred oak barrels.
What does "Small Lot Series" mean?
Small multi-barrel blends from Redwood Empire's own Sonoma County distillery, released in numbered batches — Batch 003 was 55 barrels at 94 proof.
Is Redwood Empire Foggy Burl sourced whiskey?
No — it's grain-to-glass, distilled and bottled by Redwood Empire Distillery in Sonoma County, California.
Why is it called Foggy Burl?
For the Foggy Burl redwood, one of the tallest trees ever measured (~346 ft), which absorbs much of its water from coastal fog; the label prints the tree's coordinates.
Order Redwood Empire Foggy Burl online from Del Mesa Liquor — San Diego, CA — and taste what California single malt can do.