Redwood Empire Rocket Top Bottled-in-Bond Rye

To be honest, I didn’t know today was Earth Day until I received an email from Redwood Empire while finishing up this review. I couldn’t have timed it better if I’d tried. The Graton, California-based company prides itself on taking steps to be an “Environmentally Friendly Whiskey” producer. Among other things, they’ve partnered with the non-profit organization Trees for the Future to fulfill its “buy a bottle, we’ll plant a tree” commitment and One Tree Planted to plant over 1.5 million trees to date.

It’s been a couple of years since I reviewed Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast Bottled in Bond Bourbon. Since then, Redwood Empire has become much more popular and has added many new selections to its lineup. In 2022 I purchased Grizzly Beast Batch 2 on Redwood Empire’s website because none of my locals carried it. Nowadays, Redwood Empire flagship releases can usually be found at a few of my locals, which is where I picked up Rocket Top. I was surprised by how good Grizzly Beast was, and I’m ready to see how its rye whiskey companion compares. Let’s get to it!

Taken: Neat in a Glencairn glass, rested for about 15 minutes.

Distillery: Redwood Empire Distilling, Graton, California.

Proof: 100.

Age: 5 years.

Distilling season: Spring 2017. Bottling: Summer 2022.

Batch#: 002, 55 Barrels.

Mash bill: 87% Rye/5% Wheat/5% Malted Barley/3% Corn.

Price: $84.95 local ($89.00 on the Redwood Empire website).

Appearance: Light golden caramel.

Nose

Caramelized brown sugar, butterscotch, chocolate pudding, graham crackers, hazelnuts, cloves, ginger, mint, apricots, dates, vanilla beans, cinnamon spice, oak. The sweet oak and herbal flavors are very good and well-balanced with no proof heat.

Palate

The nose moves on to the palate with sweet oak flavors of caramelized brown sugar and butterscotch, graham crackers, and subtle chocolate, with herbaceous flavors of cloves and ginger with stone fruit of apricots, vanilla beans, and oak. A nice balance of cinnamon spice kicks in mid-sip with a medium creamy mouthfeel.

Finish

As the cinnamon spice subsides, cloves, apricots, and vanilla beans come back around. Eventually, soft tobacco, cloves, and spice continue until the end to create an easygoing but long and enjoyable finish.

Conclusion

I’ve been enjoying Rocket Top as much as I did Grizzly Beast. It’s a very flavorful rye whiskey that doesn’t leave me wishing it was at a higher proof point—I hate it when that happens. There’s a lot to love here, particularly the delicious, sweet caramel oak and rye-influenced flavors with very good vanilla and stone fruit in the mix. All this is balanced with just the right amount of spice and an enjoyable finish that left me with nothing to complain about, especially for a 100-proof rye. Much like Grizzly Beast, Rocket Top is a great option when you’re not in the mood for a higher-proof cask strength whiskey. What about the price? I hear you. Rocket Top is no bargain. It’s not even close, and I don’t recommend it if that’s what you’re after. But if you’re looking for a delicious, easy-sipping whiskey that’s not your typical Kentucky or Indiana-style rye, Rocket Top is worth trying.

Rating: 6.7/10.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all-time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.