Four-Whiskey Blend Marks Redwood Empire's Most Ambitious Project Redwood Empire Whiskey has announced "The Hyperion," the first in an annual series of limited-edition releases exploring the boundaries of American whiskey. The inaugural Batch 001, crafted by Master Distiller Jeff Duckhorn and Master Blender Lauren Patz, launches August 2026 at a suggested retail price of $99 for 750ml bottles. The expression blends four straight whiskey categories in a single bottling: 32% bourbon whiskey, 30% rye whiskey, 25% wheat whiskey, and 13% single malt whiskey. The final blend of approximately 79 barrels combines stocks from Redwood Empire's own inventory along with sourced whiskey from distillers in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The single malt component is entirely grain-to-glass production from Redwood Empire's own operations. Bottled at 110 proof and unfiltered, the whiskey features stocks aged from 7 to 14 years across more than 10 mash bills. Maturation occurred in toasted, Char No. 3 barrels in Northern California.
On the Nose and Palate According to the producer, the blend presents "California walnut and roasted apricots on the nose" with a palate of "decadent pomegranate molasses, stone fruit, cream, and warm baking spice with a long, harmonizing finish of toffee and toasted malt." "The Hyperion is an exercise in artistry," Patz said. "Regal, refined, bold. A collaboration of spirit types that fully brings to light the depth and diversity of our barrel inventory. 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." Duckhorn added, "Exploration has always been central to Redwood Empire, from making whiskey in Northern California to blending across regions, ages and styles. The Hyperion asks whiskey drinkers to look beyond the familiar. This first batch celebrates where we began, revealing what has been quietly maturing within our inventory. With each annual release, we invite people to experience whiskey from a different perspective."
Limited Annual Releases Redwood Empire positioned each batch of The Hyperion series as entirely distinct and never to be repeated. The bottle features a crown closure inspired by Hyperion, the tallest known living tree, a coastal redwood rising more than 380 feet in Redwood National Park's Humboldt County. The whiskey will be available for pre-order online at redwoodempirewhiskey.com and in select retail locations including Total Wine & More, Specs, and local craft bottle shops throughout the fall.
Why It Matters
The Hyperion represents a shift toward complex, multi-source blending in the craft whiskey category.
For on-premise and retail operators, the $99 price point and limited-batch positioning create scarcity-driven appeal, while the multi-whiskey composition offers bartenders flexibility in cocktail programming and straight-pour service.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
