All voices matter
Rock Town Launches Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls, First in New Arkansas State Parks Series
Rock Town Distillery has introduced Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls, the first limited-edition release in a new series celebrating Arkansas State Parks. The six-year-old, 96-proof bourbon is made with Arkansas-grown grains and helps support the state park system.
Share your love
Last Updated on July 26, 2026 by Justin Jones
New Arkansas Bourbon Release
Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls at a glance
Rock Town Distillery has launched Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls, the first limited-edition release in a new collection celebrating Arkansas State Parks. The six-year-old, 96-proof wheated bourbon is made with Arkansas-grown corn and wheat, and a portion of every bottle sold will help support the state park system.
6 Years
Age statement
96 Proof
48% alcohol by volume
Wheated
8% Arkansas wheat
First Release
Natural State Collection
The release in one sentence
Rock Town Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls pairs a six-year-old Arkansas-grain bourbon with the story of Cedar Falls and Petit Jean State Park, while using part of each sale to support Arkansas State Parks.
In this article
Rock Town Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls specifications
Rock Town published the following production details for the inaugural Natural State Collection release. The information below reflects the distillery’s public announcement.
| Specification | Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls |
|---|---|
| Producer | Rock Town Distillery |
| Collection | Natural State Collection |
| Classification | Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Age | 6 years |
| Proof | 96 proof |
| Alcohol by volume | 48% ABV |
| Mash bill | 79% Arkansas corn, 8% Arkansas wheat and 13% malted barley |
| Distillation | Column distilled |
| Barrel | Kelvin Cooperage, No. 4 char |
| Package | 750-milliliter bottle |
| Featured landmark | Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park |
| Availability | Rock Town Distillery, Mather Lodge and participating Arkansas liquor stores |
| State-park support | A portion of every bottle sold supports Arkansas State Parks |
What the Cedar Falls bourbon specifications tell us
The recipe contains 79% Arkansas-grown corn, 8% Arkansas-grown wheat and 13% malted barley. Because Rock Town lists wheat rather than rye as the secondary flavoring grain, Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls is a wheated bourbon.
The bourbon spent six years in new Kelvin Cooperage barrels with a No. 4 char. Often called an “alligator char” because of the deep, cracked pattern left on the interior staves, No. 4 is among the heavier commonly used barrel chars in American whiskey.
At 96 proof, Cedar Falls sits above the standard 80- or 90-proof range without entering barrel-strength territory. That combination of age and proof should preserve more barrel character and texture while remaining accessible for drinking neat, over a large cube or in a spirit-forward cocktail.
ArkansasLiquor.com has not tasted this release. Flavor expectations discussed here are based only on the published production specifications, not a formal review.
Mash bill breakdown
79%
Arkansas corn
8%
Arkansas wheat
13%
Malted barley
Why Cedar Falls and Petit Jean State Park were chosen first
Cedar Falls is more than a recognizable Arkansas landmark. It stands inside the park that inspired the creation of the entire Arkansas State Parks system.
The landmark
Cedar Falls
Cedar Creek crosses the top of Petit Jean Mountain before plunging more than 90 feet into Cedar Creek Canyon. The waterfall is reached by a roughly two-mile round-trip trail beginning behind Mather Lodge.
Measurement note: Current official state pages variously describe Cedar Falls as 91 or 95 feet tall. “More than 90 feet” avoids overstating the disputed exact measurement.
The birthplace
Petit Jean State Park
Established in 1923, Petit Jean became Arkansas’s first state park. Its preservation campaign helped create the statewide system, while the Civilian Conservation Corps later built trails, cabins, bridges and Mather Lodge.
The park is also a certified Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Site and contains significant Indigenous cultural and archaeological resources.
How Petit Jean became Arkansas’s first state park
1907
Dr. T. W. Hardison begins advocating for preservation of the scenic mountain property.
1923
Arkansas establishes Petit Jean as its first state park and lays the foundation for the park system.
1933
The Civilian Conservation Corps begins constructing the park’s enduring rustic infrastructure.
Today
Petit Jean remains one of the state’s best-known parks and the symbolic birthplace of the system.
From one park to 52: the Arkansas State Parks story
Petit Jean began a system that now includes 52 official Arkansas state parks. Together, they preserve mountain summits, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, forests, archaeological sites, historic communities, museums and battlefields across The Natural State.
52
Official state parks
54,400+
Acres represented
8 Million
Approximate annual visitors
Future releases have a deep bench of Arkansas stories
Mountains and waterfalls
- Mount Magazine
- Devil’s Den
- Pinnacle Mountain
- Cossatot River
Lakes, rivers and springs
- Lake Ouachita
- Bull Shoals–White River
- Mammoth Spring
- Lake Chicot
History and culture
- Plum Bayou Mounds
- Historic Washington
- Prairie Grove Battlefield
- Crater of Diamonds
Rock Town says every Natural State Collection release will celebrate a different Arkansas State Park. The company has not announced the next destination, the total number of planned bottles or whether each edition will feature a different age, proof or whiskey style.
A bourbon collection tied to Arkansas conservation
The conservation component separates the Natural State Collection from a standard commemorative bottle. Rock Town says a portion of every sale will support Arkansas State Parks and help preserve the destinations represented by the series.
The distillery has not disclosed a fixed dollar amount or percentage donated per bottle. Even so, the partnership links Arkansas-grown grain and local whiskey culture to the state’s natural, historical and archaeological resources.
The central story is simple: Cedar Falls helped inspire the preservation of Petit Jean; Petit Jean became Arkansas’s first state park; and that first park became a system now extending across the state.
Where to find Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls
Rock Town lists the limited-edition release as available through three channels:
Rock Town Distillery
1201 Main Street in downtown Little Rock.
Mather Lodge
The historic lodge at Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton.
Arkansas liquor stores
Participating retailers across Arkansas, subject to local allocation.
Before making a special trip: Pricing and inventory may vary. Rock Town has not published a complete retailer list or allocation totals, so contact the distillery, Mather Lodge or a preferred liquor store to confirm availability.
What Natural State Bourbon means for Arkansas whiskey
Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls brings together several distinctly Arkansas stories. Its principal grains were grown in the state. The bottle comes from Arkansas’s best-known distillery. Its label honors the waterfall at Arkansas’s first state park. Part of the proceeds will return to a system preserving natural, archaeological and historical destinations across the state.
Cedar Falls is an especially appropriate beginning because the story moves naturally from one landmark to an entire state system: the beauty of Petit Jean inspired preservation; preservation created Arkansas’s first state park; and the first park became a network now reaching every region of Arkansas.
The bottom line
Rock Town’s first Natural State Bourbon does more than place an Arkansas landmark on a label. It begins the collection at the place where the story of Arkansas State Parks began.
Frequently asked questions about Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls
What is Rock Town Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls?
It is a six-year-old straight bourbon whiskey and the first limited-edition bottle in Rock Town Distillery’s Natural State Collection, created in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
What proof is Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls?
The bourbon is bottled at 96 proof, equivalent to 48% alcohol by volume.
What is the Cedar Falls bourbon mash bill?
The published mash bill is 79% Arkansas corn, 8% Arkansas wheat and 13% malted barley.
Is Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls a wheated bourbon?
Yes. The recipe lists wheat and does not list rye, making it a wheated bourbon mash bill.
Where was Cedar Falls bourbon distilled?
The bottle clearly states distilled, aged, and bottled in Little Rock, AR.
Which state park does the bottle celebrate?
The inaugural release honors Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton. Petit Jean became Arkansas’s first state park in 1923.
Does the bourbon support Arkansas State Parks?
Rock Town says a portion of every bottle sold will support Arkansas State Parks. The exact donation per bottle has not been disclosed.
Where can I buy Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls?
Rock Town lists the release at its Little Rock distillery, Mather Lodge at Petit Jean State Park and participating Arkansas liquor stores. Pricing and inventory may vary.
What is the price and how many bottles were produced?
Rock Town has not publicly announced a suggested retail price, bottle count or barrel count for the Cedar Falls edition.
What will be the next Natural State Bourbon release?
Rock Town has not announced the next Arkansas State Park or whiskey expression in the Natural State Collection.
Sources and further reading
- Rock Town Distillery: Natural State Bourbon – Cedar Falls
- Arkansas State Parks: Petit Jean State Park
- Arkansas State Parks: Cedar Falls Trail
- Arkansas State Parks media kit and system statistics
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas: Petit Jean State Park
- Breaking Bourbon: Rock Town Column Still Collection review
Availability and release details can change. This article is based on publicly available information and clearly distinguishes confirmed facts from editorial inference. Please enjoy distilled spirits responsibly.
At the distillery, it was $42.99 before tax, $48.00 after tax, $5.01 tax
Despite the same mash as the column still collection, it is in fact their own distillate and it’s distilled, aged, and bottled in Little Rock according to the sticker on the bottle!
Thanks for the information. Updated the article! Going to get a bottle today!