Redwood Empire Blends 4 Types of Whiskey for Its Most Ambitious Release Yet

(Photo: Redwood Empire)

Redwood Empire Whiskey is going beyond bourbon with its most ambitious whiskey project yet, bringing bourbon, rye, wheat whiskey and American single malt together in a new annual limited-release series.

The California whiskey maker on Friday unveiled The Hyperion Blend of Straight Whiskeys Batch 001, the first release in a series of annual expressions designed to showcase the company’s diverse barrel inventory. Each batch will be entirely different and will never be repeated.

Crafted by Master Distiller Jeff Duckhorn and Master Blender Lauren Patz, the inaugural Hyperion combines whiskey aged between seven and 14 years, drawing from more than 10 mashbills and about 79 barrels.

Rather than a traditional mashbill, Redwood Empire has given The Hyperion a “blend bill” reflecting the four whiskey categories used in the final expression: 32% bourbon, 30% rye, 25% wheat whiskey and 13% American single malt.

The whiskeys were sourced from stocks distilled by Redwood Empire, as well as undisclosed producers in Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. The single malt component is entirely grain-to-glass whiskey distilled by Redwood Empire.

The whiskeys entered barrels between 110 and 120 proof and matured in toasted, Char No. 3 barrels in Northern California. The region’s warm days and cool, foggy nights near the Pacific provide the maturation environment for the blend.

“The Hyperion is an exercise in artistry. Regal, refined, bold,” Redwood Empire Master Blender Lauren Patz said in a news release. “Wheat Whiskey, Bourbon, Rye, and American Single Malt find both balance and transformation and demonstrate what can emerge when curiosity is matched with patience and purpose.”

The finished whiskey is bottled unfiltered at 110 proof. Redwood Empire describes the profile as opening with California walnut and roasted apricot, followed by pomegranate molasses, stone fruit, cream and baking spice. The finish brings toffee and toasted malt.

The Hyperion is named for the tallest known living tree, a coastal redwood in California’s Redwood National Park that stands more than 380 feet tall. The tree is estimated to be between 600 and 800 years old.

The series’ bottle design also nods to the namesake tree, with a crown-shaped closure intended to evoke a redwood towering above its surroundings.

“Exploration has always been central to Redwood Empire, from making whiskey in Northern California to blending across regions, ages and styles,” Master Distiller Jeff Duckhorn said. “The Hyperion asks whiskey drinkers to look beyond the familiar.”

The first batch will be available in 750-milliliter bottles for a suggested retail price of $99. Preorders are available through Redwood Empire’s online whiskey shop, with the release also expected at select retailers including Total Wine & More, Specs and independent craft bottle shops.

The Hyperion Batch 001 is scheduled to begin rolling out in August, with future editions expected to offer entirely new combinations of whiskey styles, ages and barrels.

In other words, once this first batch is gone, there won’t be another one quite like it.