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Bourbon Bytes PodcastAuthor: Clifton McDaniel Bourbon Bytes
Whiskey news & reviews with a gaming twist! Each week, Clifton McDaniel brings you the latest bourbon releases, industry stories, and Byte-Sized tastingsalongside the hottest video game news and discussions. Cheers, and Game On! Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Redwood Empire The Hyperion Whiskey Review: Is the Inaugural Batch Worth $99?
Episode 61
Thursday, 17 September, 2026
Redwood Empire 'The Hyperion' Whiskey Review: I’m getting an early taste of Batch 001, one of Redwood Empire’s most ambitious releases yet — but first, Pappy season is officially here and the whiskey news gets weird. The Van Winkle family has announced the 2026 Pappy lineup, with six expressions ranging from Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year all the way up to Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year and the 13 Year Family Reserve Rye. Retail prices continue to creep upward, but they’re still nowhere near what these bottles command on the secondary market. Then MGP steps out from behind the curtain with Chapter One: Out of the Shadows, its first whiskey ever released under the MGP name. It’s a 10-year, 111-proof bourbon aged in Lawrenceburg, Indiana — and at just $70, it might be one of the most interesting values of LE season. Neeley Family Distillery also debuts PaPaw’s Legacy Reserve, a 10-year cask-strength wheated bourbon with a unique Solera-style story and a much more intimidating $300 price tag. We’ve also got 2XO Rapper’s Delight, a collaboration between Dixon Dedman and The Sugarhill Gang, plus one of the strangest releases of the year: WhistlePig Boss Hog XIII: The Golden Pharaoh, finished with Egyptian black honey and tiger nuts. Yes, tiger nuts. Then it’s time for the main event: my review of Redwood Empire The Hyperion Batch 001. This new annual limited edition combines FOUR different categories of whiskey: 🥃 32% Bourbon Whiskey 🥃 30% Rye Whiskey 🥃 25% Wheat Whiskey 🥃 13% Single Malt Whiskey The blend pulls together more than 10 mash bills, whiskey aged from 7 to 14 years, and distillate from multiple states before being re-barreled in freshly toasted char #3 barrels. At 110 proof and $99 MSRP, it sounds incredibly ambitious. But does it actually work? Would you rather spend $100 on an experimental blend like Hyperion, or stick with a traditional limited-edition bourbon? YOUTUBE CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro – Pappy, MGP, WhistlePig & Hyperion 00:27 Welcome + LE Season 00:53 Pappy Van Winkle 2026 Lineup 02:42 MGP Chapter One: Out of the Shadows 04:11 Neeley PaPaw’s Legacy Reserve 06:09 2XO Rapper’s Delight 07:47 WhistlePig Boss Hog XIII: The Golden Pharaoh 09:48 Redwood Empire Hyperion Whiskey Review 17:43 Outro
