Redwood Empire Rocket Top Bottled In Bond Rye Whiskey
Redwood Empire Rocket Top Bottled In Bond Rye Whiskey is Sonoma County's take on America's original whiskey style: a straight rye bottled in bond at 100 proof (50% ABV), aged five years in new charred American oak, 750mL — distilled in a single season and proofed with Russian River Valley aquifer water. Built on a Pennsylvania-style rye mash bill of rye, wheat, and malted barley with no corn, it pours the full bonded-rye profile: caramel, vanilla, and maraschino cherry on the nose, raw sugar and dried fruit through the palate, and a spice-forward allspice-and-oak finish. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 100 proof (50% ABV) — bottled in bond (Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897)
- Age / Size: 5 years in new charred American oak; 750mL bottle
- Mash bill: rye, wheat, and malted barley (Pennsylvania-style, no corn); percentages vary by batch
- Producer: Redwood Empire Distilling, Graton, Sonoma County, California — Russian River Valley aquifer water; non-chill filtered
- Profile: caramel, vanilla, cherry, dried fruit, cracked pepper, baking spice
California Rye, Bonded by the Book
The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 is the oldest consumer-protection law in American food and drink: one distillery, one season, four-plus years in the warehouse, and 100 proof in the bottle. Rocket Top — named for the redwood-country landmark — is Redwood Empire's bonded expression of that law, aged in the temperate Northern California climate that the distillery credits with its smooth, fruit-forward maturation. And every bottle funds the planting of a tree, a nod to the redwood forests the brand takes its name from. Shop more rye whiskey or browse everything from Redwood Empire Whiskey at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Retailer and review consensus on the Rocket Top profile: the nose opens with caramel, vanilla, and maraschino cherry with a hint of leather and cranberry; the palate is rich and rounded — raw sugar, dried fruit, canned pear, cracked pepper, and a buttery mouthfeel; the finish is spice-forward, allspice and oak leading to a warm, gentle close. At 100 proof it carries real presence without turning harsh.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a few drops of water to open up the fruit and spice — the non-chill-filtered 100 proof rewards it. The bold rye spice and balancing sweetness also make it a natural fit for a Manhattan or a Sazerac, where the proof holds its own against vermouth and absinthe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "bottled in bond" mean on Rocket Top?
It certifies the whiskey under the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897: distilled in a single season at one distillery, aged at least four years, and bottled at exactly 100 proof — Rocket Top goes five years in new charred oak.
Is Redwood Empire Rocket Top a straight rye?
Yes — a straight rye whiskey with a Pennsylvania-style mash bill of rye, wheat, and malted barley and no corn, aged five years in new charred American oak.
Where is Redwood Empire whiskey made?
At Redwood Empire Distilling in Graton, Sonoma County, California, using water from the Russian River Valley aquifer.
Proofed at a full 100 — get Redwood Empire Rocket Top Bottled In Bond Rye from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.