Distillery: Label reads “Produced and bottled by Prestige Beverage Group, Louisville, KY”
Proof: 104
Age: Various
Mashbill: Various
MSRP: $100
Who They Are
When bourbon hunting, a 2XO bottle seems easy to pass by. It’s an attractive enough label, stark black with a raised gold cryptic logo. Several times, I have picked up a 2XO bottle, scanned the label, found nothing particularly useful as to the pedigree, then set it back on the shelf. The cryptic logo did not pique my curiosity for learning more about the company.
It was a chance one-shot encounter suggested by a restaurant bartender that led me back to 2XO’s offerings. He had tasted the expression earlier in the week and complimented on the fine quality of the bourbon. Not knowing the bartender, other than the few minutes we chatted up their new bar offerings, and not knowing what to expect from this new-to-me bourbon, I took a flyer. Neat, of course.
Who or what is 2XO is difficult to understand. In small type on the label, you’ll find “Two Times Oak by Dixon Dedman.”
The “parent” Prestige Beverage Group is not immediately recognizable as a bourbon producer. It is a conglomerate with a highly diversified portfolio of wine, Canadian whiskey, Irish Whiskey and the 2XO line of bourbons.
Dixon Dedman, a Master Blender rather than a Master Distiller, brings a legacy of bourbon craftsmanship to 2XO. Notice the key difference between what I called Dedman. 2XO does not distill. Rather, the expression is a blend of multiple mashbills from different distillery partners.
Dedman has true bourbon lineage. His grandfather founded Kentucky Owl in 1879. His blending expertise and his ability to craft the balance between traditional and innovative has led to praise and recognition for Dedman.
The Icon Series
Curiously, 2XO groups their expressions into several series: the Icon Series, the Single Barrel Series and finally the Oak Series, which they refer to as an “innovative double oak technique”.
All the offerings are blended bourbons which use different distilleries, different mashbills, various aging and perhaps secondary aging and/or secondary finishing, all with the aim of producing a unique and innovate offering appealing to a targeted or wide range of consumer.
With blending, the number of offerings is truly unlimited, which presents a unique challenge for a Master Blender. Like a piece of art or a song, there comes a point where good is good enough and it is time to move on to selling it. Like a composer or artist, a Master Blender, must know when the blend is just right, striking a balance between their expertise and the intuition of what will sell.
The Innkeeper’s Blend is part of 2XO’s “Icon Series”. Content that I found shows Dedman took two batches from different distilling partners:
- Batch one was low-rye (~16%) bourbon.
- Batch two was a six-year high-rye (~35%) bourbon. The high-rye bourbon was then further divided:
- Batch 2a is set aside as the six-year high-rye
- Batch 2b was aged in a new #3 char barrel for at least six months
- Batch 2c was aged in a new #4 char barrel for at least six months
What results is a blend of four bourbons, one low-rye, one high-rye, and two high-rye that had additional aging.
With a formula of different mashbills, different distillery partners, high and low rye and secondary aging, 2XO’s innovative blending process makes a bold statement by taking a unique approach to separate itself from the traditional bourbon marketplace.
2XO The Innkeeper’s Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon: Tasting Notes
Nose – 4/5
The nose is quite pleasant. Immediately there is a brazen presentation of dark cherries. The dark cherries are so overwhelmingly pleasant that it is difficult to pick out hints of cinnamon and butterscotch.
Palate – 3.75/5
While the rye content did not show up on the nose, it definitely shows up on the palate. Right away, there is the telltale sign of baking spice and pepper. Charred oak and warm caramel tones mixed with a hint of vanilla rounds out the offering.
This is a nice easy sipper served neat. Just for grins and giggles, I added a small rock.
The dark cherries that were present on the nose showed up on the palate. If you’re looking for sweet with a bit of spice, then give it a go with a small rock. But don’t let the ice linger too long. The proof disappears rather quickly.
Finish – 3.5/5
Long-lasting notes of baking spike and charred oak.
Value – 3.5/5
It is an easy sipper neat that will also hold up with a small rock which allows it to appeal to many. At a $100 price point, this is a bit of a high-priced bourbon, which makes it restrictive to some. I’d prefer to see it for around the $75 price point. It’s a bottle that I will keep on my shelf, sharing with friends who prefer the balanced pendulum of sweet and spice.
2XO The Innkeeper’s Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review: The Verdict
Verdict – 3.5/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.5 – 5
- Gold – 4 – 4.5
- Silver – 3 – 4
- Bronze – <3
Mike Long is a staff writer at Bourbon Inspector and has an Executive Bourbon Steward designation from the Stave and Thief Society. He’s a former “wine guy” who discovered his love for bourbon years back at a spur-of-the-moment bourbon tasting he attended. He also loves traveling throughout America with his wife of over 37 years, Debby.