Sonoma County Distilling Bourbon 750ML

Sonoma County Distilling Bourbon 750ML is a 46% ABV (92 proof) California bourbon double distilled in direct-fired alembic copper pot stills. A Gold medal winner at the Sunset International Spirits Competition, this wheated bourbon represents one of the earliest craft distilling operations in the modern American whiskey revival.

Quick Facts: ABV: 46% (92 Proof)  |  Origin: Sonoma County, California  |  Wheated Bourbon  |  Distillery: Sonoma County Distilling Co.

Production & Heritage

Sonoma County Distilling Co. was founded in 2010, making it one of the first 200 licensed distilleries in the United States during the craft spirits boom. The bourbon uses a mashbill of 70% corn, 25% wheat, and 5% malted barley — a wheated recipe that replaces the rye grain found in most traditional bourbon mashbills. What truly distinguishes this whiskey is its double distillation in handmade alembic copper pot stills heated by direct flame, a method far more common in Scotch and Cognac production than in American bourbon. This labor-intensive approach requires constant hands-on attention and produces a spirit with a heavier, more texturally rich character than the cleaner profiles typical of column-distilled bourbons.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Sweet corn and warm vanilla arrive first, followed by a layer of freshly baked cornbread and toasted oak. Beneath those initial impressions, subtle sandalwood and an almost cookie-dough sweetness emerge with time in the glass.

Taste: The palate opens with a pronounced earthy caramel and candy corn sweetness that moves quickly into toffee brittle and roasted almond at mid-palate. A noticeable woody quality — sawdust-like in its raw, unvarnished character — builds through the mid-palate, balanced by smoky roasted vanilla and a touch of dark spice.

Finish: Medium to long, with rich bitter dark chocolate and brewed coffee lingering alongside drying oak tannins. A faint sweetness of toffee popcorn persists as the woodier notes slowly fade.

How to Drink Sonoma Bourbon

At 92 proof, this bourbon drinks well neat or with a single large ice cube that gradually opens up the sweeter vanilla and toffee elements while tempering the wood. A few drops of water can also soften the sawdust-like oak tannins and amplify the caramel corn character.

In cocktails, the pot-still richness holds its ground against strong modifiers. An Old Fashioned highlights the toffee and dark chocolate notes without being overwhelmed by bitters. A Boulevardier pairs the bourbon's earthy sweetness against Campari's bitterness for a well-matched contrast. A Paper Plane leverages the higher proof and wheated softness to keep the bourbon present alongside Aperol and Amaro Nonino.

Best For

• Bourbon drinkers exploring craft California whiskey for the first time
• Gifting to a whiskey enthusiast who values unusual production methods
• Side-by-side tastings comparing pot-still versus column-still bourbon styles
• Building a home bar shelf focused on American regional whiskey diversity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sonoma Bourbon taste like? The dominant profile is earthy caramel, toasted vanilla, and toffee brittle, layered with darker notes of coffee and bitter dark chocolate. A noticeable raw oak and sawdust quality gives it a rustic, unpolished character that distinguishes it from smoother, mass-produced wheated bourbons.

How does Sonoma Bourbon compare to Maker's Mark? Both are wheated bourbons, but Sonoma uses alembic pot stills and direct-fire distillation rather than Maker's Mark's column-still method, resulting in a heavier, more texturally dense spirit. Maker's Mark tends toward a rounder, softer sweetness at 45% ABV, while Sonoma's 46% ABV expression carries more pronounced oak tannins and a grainier mouthfeel from the pot-still process.

Is Sonoma Bourbon good for sipping neat? Yes — the 92-proof strength and pot-still body give it enough weight and complexity to reward slow, attentive sipping. A few drops of water can help tame the woodier edges for those who prefer a gentler experience.

Where is Sonoma Bourbon made? It is distilled at Sonoma County Distilling Co. in Sonoma County, California. Founded in 2010, the distillery was among the first wave of modern American craft distilleries and remains one of the few producing bourbon entirely within Northern California.

What foods pair well with Sonoma Bourbon? Smoked brisket complements the bourbon's earthy, charred oak notes. Dark chocolate truffles echo the coffee and cacao on the finish. Aged Gouda or sharp cheddar matches well against the toffee sweetness. Pecan pie mirrors the nutty, caramel-forward palate. Cornbread with honey butter creates a natural pairing given the corn-forward mashbill.

What sizes does Sonoma Bourbon come in? The standard release is available in a 750ml bottle.

Is Sonoma Bourbon worth the price? Sonoma Bourbon positions in the premium craft tier, above mass-market wheated bourbons but in line with other small-batch, pot-still American whiskeys. The hand-distilled, direct-fire production method and limited scale justify the step up for drinkers specifically seeking the flavor profile that alembic distillation delivers.

Why Sonoma Bourbon?

The defining feature here is the distillation method: direct-fired alembic pot stills are virtually unheard of in bourbon production, and the flavor impact is unmistakable. The result is a heavier, more grain-forward, texturally dense whiskey that stands apart from the cleaner, lighter profiles of column-distilled competitors. Its Gold medal at the Sunset International Spirits Competition confirms that the approach translates into a well-regarded finished product, not just a novelty. For anyone building a bourbon collection that stretches beyond Kentucky orthodoxy, Sonoma County Distilling's expression makes a compelling and genuinely different addition.