Every whisky barrel is made of solid wood, and it may astonish us to note that whiskey depends on the trees to exist. Reforestation is a needed process to recuperate our planet’s natural habitat. That message is clear to an eminent whisky distillery, the Redwood Empire.
The company was founded in 2011 by Derek Benham who drew inspiration from the 420 mile coastal glades of Redwood. According to him, a huge part of the trees were harvested and never replaced. As early as 2016, Benham started selecting and transporting aged barrels of whiskey from Kentucky and Tennessee back to Sonoma County.
The Redwood Empire Distillery is housed on the site of an old apple processing plant. This is redwood territory and home to a unique variety of these towering trees. From here whisky has rolled onto the best flavors in the world. The distillery is empowered by master distiller Jeff Duckhorn and head distiller Lauren Patz.
In 2019 the company decided to give back to the Earth and the natural ecosystem. It allocated a part of its profit to replant 1 million redwood trees. Today, four years later, the company celebrates a victory. It has successfully reached its goal.
Although Redwood Empire has not disclosed how much it has invested in the project, it is impressive to see the progress it has made in just four years. This meant 250,000 plants per year. A dedication and posture worthwhile patterning.