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2XO’s latest Collectibles release, called Rapper’s Delight – The Hip-Hop Blend, pairs Dixon Dedman’s blending expertise with The Sugarhill Gang and one of hip-hop’s most iconic songs.
2XO Whiskey is teaming up with The Sugarhill Gang for “Rapper’s Delight — The Hip-Hop Blend,” the seventh release in Dedman’s limited-edition Collectibles Series. Named for the group’s iconic 1979 single, the bourbon will arrive nationwide in September with a suggested retail price of $79.99.
I spoke with 2XO Founder and Blender Dixon Dedman via Zoom and The Sugarhill Gang via email to learn more about this new collaborative release.
Twice The Oak
Dedman is best known for resurrecting Kentucky Owl, the whiskey brand originally founded by his great-great-grandfather. He relaunched Kentucky Owl in 2014 and helped build the brand around limited releases that relied heavily on blending and secondary maturation.
When Dedman left Kentucky Owl, he knew he wanted his next whiskey project to preserve that same level of hands-on development.
“I always felt like it was important to put my thumbprint on any whiskey that I put out there,” Dedman said.
That philosophy eventually became the foundation for 2XO, short for Two Times Oak. Every product in the 2XO lineup receives some form of secondary maturation after initial aging.
The brand includes the widely available Oak Series, the limited-edition Collectibles Series and the Gem of Kentucky single-barrel program.
Building A New Brand
During the period between Kentucky Owl and 2XO, Dedman was approached about evaluating an existing whiskey program that had been quietly laying down bourbon barrels from a proprietary Kentucky mash bill. The program dated back to 2015, and some of those barrels had already reached six years of age by the time Dedman tried them.
“I tasted the stuff, and I thought, ‘Wait a minute, this is very interesting.’”
As he learned more about the whiskey’s production, Dedman became even more interested.
He described the distillation program as comparatively old-school, with lower cooking temperatures, longer cooks and whiskey coming off the still at approximately 120 proof before entering the barrel at 118 proof. Dedman proposed incorporating the whiskey into the new brand he was developing.
That arrangement also solved one of the largest problems facing many non-distilling producers: consistent supply.
Dedman had already experienced the volatility of the bulk whiskey market while working with Kentucky Owl, navigating dynamic pricing and availability. He recalled situations where a single 200-milliliter sample was offered to evaluate hundreds of barrels in a lot that was for sale.
2XO’s production model eliminates the unknowns of the open market.
“Everything is distilled, barreled and aged for this program,” Dedman said.
Once portions of that inventory reach approximately six years old, Dedman begins another round of experimentation—rebarreling the whiskey into new oak and portioning lots into different char levels and treatments.
Over time, that process has created a library of components that Dedman can use to expand the product line.
The Hip-Hop Blend Details
When Dedman starts working on a new release, he doesn’t always have a final product or flavor set in mind.
“It’s like different color paints I have to work with,” he said. “I really go into it like a blank canvas.”
That approach has allowed each successive Collectibles release to vary considerably in flavor.
Dedman described 2024’s Sneakerhead Blend as a large, spicy whiskey with a long and heavy finish, while The Vinyl Blend was softer and more balanced.
The Hip-Hop Blend combines two proprietary bourbon mash bills containing 35% and 18% rye. The higher-rye bourbon makes up 90% of the final blend and undergoes a second maturation in new #3 and #4 charred oak barrels for between nine and 12 months.
According to Dedman, roughly 80 barrels ultimately went into the release. The combined whiskey came out of the barrel at 110 proof before being bottled a few proof points lower at 104 proof.
“This Hip-Hop Blend is a brown sugar, caramel, sweet bomb. It is all on the front of the palate. I think this one is about as syrupy and oily as any I’ve done,” Dedman remarked.
Collaborating With Hip-Hop Royalty
For The Sugarhill Gang, the proposal to collaborate with 2XO on this release was an easy one to accept.
“The 2XO team approached us with an idea to make a whiskey inspired by hip-hop. We let Dixon do what he does best, using his creativity and expertise in blending. We were excited to see how ‘Rapper’s Delight’ could inspire a whiskey,” said The Sugarhill Gang via email.
Released in 1979, The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” became one of the first rap singles to achieve widespread mainstream success in the United States. The song reached the Top 40 and has since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame while appearing on numerous lists of historically significant American recordings.
Decades later, The Sugarhill Gang is still amazed by the song’s long-standing success.
“When ‘Rapper’s Delight’ was released in 1979, we couldn’t have imagined the effect that song would have for years to come. We just wanted to capture the exciting new rap music that was hitting New York City at the time,” The Sugarhill Gang noted.
“Now, almost 50 years later, we’re still performing that song for audiences globally. Knowing that our music helped spread hip-hop to the masses is an incredible feeling and something we’re extremely proud of.”
As for the whiskey, the group was thrilled with the final result.
“It’s rich and full of flavor, with a sweetness that we really enjoy. But there’s also a light pepper spice that keeps it balanced. This is our new favorite whiskey, and the one we’re going to sip on after our shows.”
2XO Rapper’s Delight — The Hip-Hop Blend Tasting Notes
This whiskey appears dark amber in the glass.
On the nose, I find notes of salted caramel, sugar cookie, clove, rye spice, gingerbread, sweet cherry and spiced oak. Water brings out more dried herbal leafiness and gentle, yet consistent spice.
The palate opens with notes of demerara sugar, sweet cinnamon stick, waffle cone, chocolate frosting, white pepper, ripe plum and pipe tobacco. With water, the sweetness deepens with more brown sugar and caramel, along with a sharper oak presence.
On the finish, this is leathery and oily, with notes of raisin, vanilla ice cream, honey, more zesty oak, a hint of toasted coconut and butterscotch. With water, I find additional notes of apple cinnamon oatmeal, dried apricot and a touch of earthiness.
Each edition of 2XO’s Collectibles Series has had a unique flavor profile, and The Hip-Hop Blend is no exception. Dedman noted several times during our conversation that this whiskey was a true “caramel bomb,” and I couldn’t agree more. Rich, decadent sweetness dominates, but the herbal notes, spice and earthiness do a nice job of keeping this whiskey from being one-dimensional.
If you like intense, sugary sweetness as the centerpiece of your bourbon, The Hip-Hop Blend is certainly for you.
Rapper’s Delight — The Hip-Hop Blend is available for preorder at ReserveBar.