Distillery: The label reads “Produced and bottled by Prestige Beverage Group, Louisville, KY”
Proof: 92
Age: Various
Mashbill: Various
MSRP: $50 (I paid $40)
Website: https://2xowhiskey.com/
Company
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 Oak 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 American Oak is the first blend in the “Oak Series”. Unlike its sister bourbon, The Innkeeper’s Blend, American Oak is from a single distillery partner. 2XO describes it as a “moderate amount of rye in the mash bill.”
According to 2XO, American Oak is “an innovative double oak technique” where Dedman “introduces additional charred oak to the barrels.” This sounds like they are doing something like how Maker’s Mark experimented with adding wood to their bourbon in the 2023 Wood Finishing Bourbon Series.
For American Oak, eight-to-ten-foot charred oak “chains” are inserted into the barrels. American Oak seems to live up to its name of Two Times Oak.
2XO American Oak Review: Tasting Notes
Nose 3/5
The nose is very light with a soft amount of wood and nuttiness. Given the pale gold hue, it’s not surprising to find a medicinal note, but it is nonetheless disappointing.
Palate 2.5/5
On the palate, American Oak doesn’t show up. Similar to the nose, it is a very light “soft” bourbon. The only redeeming quality is a slight pop of cherry.
Finish 1.5/5
The very slight baking spice finish fades as quickly as it came; which was very fast. Just not much hanging around on th
Value 3/5
The $50 price point puts the American Oak into the everyday sipper category. With that in mind, the value comes in at 3/5. That’s generous only because of the moderate price point.
Wyoming Whiskey Outryder Review: The Verdict
2.5/5
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.25 – 5
- Gold – 3.25 – 4.24
- Silver – 2.75 – 3.24
- Bronze – <2.75
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.