Tasting: 2 New Bourbons From 2XO (American Oak, Tribute Blend)

I wrote the following when I introduced the first bourbon from young brand 2XO back at the end of 2022, and it’s all still relevant, so I’ll just say it again:

There are certain names in the whiskey industry that most any drinker would find intriguing when attached to a new bourbon brand, and it’s fair to say that Dixon Dedman is one of those names. The well-known blender garnered some serious critical acclaim when he relaunched the Kentucky Owl brand back in 2014, an homage to an early brand once produced by his great-great grandfather. Dedman got quite a bit of attention for the well-aged (and expensive) blends he then assembled for Kentucky Owl, before the brand was sold to Stoli in 2017. In the years since, Kentucky Owl has arguably lost some of its luster, increasingly putting out blends with rationales and theming that don’t always make a lot of sense, while Dedman has consulted on other projects and stepped back somewhat from the spotlight.

In late 2022, however, the master blender reemerged with a new company of his own, entitled 2XO. Standing for “Two Times Oak,” the name neatly seems to imply that the entire project will revolve around secondary oak finishes, although it theoretically leaves it open to the whiskey world beyond bourbon. Each small batch blend will differ, “bearing a distinctive name and symbol inspired by Dedman’s passion to innovate, collaborate and create high-quality liquids with unique characteristics and profiles.”

There have been a couple of 2XO releases to date, the highlight of which has been the very impressive Innkeeper’s Blend this spring. The latest duo from 2XO, meanwhile, diverge in two different directions, with one brand intended to offer more value as 2XO’s first “everyday” offering, and the other continuing its existing Icon Series, which previously included The Phoenix Blend and The Innkeeper’s Blend. As always, these releases really revolve around Dixon’s blending, but also the transformative effects of oak barrels.

So with that said, let’s get right into trying the latest batches.

2XO American Oak BourbonABV: 47% (94 proof)

American Oak projects to be something like a flagship brand for 2XO, with a more approachable MSRP of $50. This is presumably a younger bourbon blend, one with a “moderate amount of rye in the mash bill,” according to the company. Crucially, they note that this one involves “an innovative double oak technique where Dixon introduces additional charred oak to barrels.” That sounds to us less like a secondary barrel finish, and more like the addition of something like newly charred staves to the existing barrel, which might help to explain the lower price tag here. American Oak is described as the first ongoing blend of the Oak Series, “a series of everyday offerings where Dixon will match the profile of each batch for consistent taste and character.” Presumably, that would mean future installments of the series could explore other forms of oak. The company notes that the technique used here “allows Dixon to intensify the maturation process by creating more surface area for the liquid in the barrels to interact with the new charred oak.” That certainly sounds like the addition of staves or chips to us.

On the nose, American Oak is not lacking in character, being redolent in woody and nutty aromatics in particular. I’m getting a lot of roasted peanut and almond, along with cocoa nibs. The oak profile is particularly interesting, pulling in multiple directions simultaneously. Some of the oak aromatics feel on the more youthful side, suggesting sawed lumber or sawdust, but there’s simultaneously an insistent thread of more spicy, freshly toasted oak as well. This contributes a lot of baking spice notes, but also the suggestion of a more warm, earthy, paprika-like note. There’s something unique to this dimension of woodiness, which really captures my interest.

On the palate, this one is interesting–plenty of caramel and lots of toasted oak, with a profile that is full of sweet spice. The roasted nuts are there again as well, though the wood sort of threatens to overtake and define this sample in my opinion. It again has that unusual combination of youthful and more aged characteristics, and although I like the spice it’s bringing to play, something about it also seems slightly artificial or uncanny at the same time. You definitely get a sense that Dedman is incorporating oak in a way that most others aren’t doing here, but I can’t quite decide how successful it necessarily is. This one is a bit of an enigma, but at $50 it doesn’t take much investment to try it for yourself. It will appeal most to drinkers who enjoy spicy/toasted oak.

2XO Tribute Blend BourbonABV: 52% (104 proof)

The Tribute Blend is the third entry in the brand’s Icon Series, which previously included The Phoenix Blend and The Innkeeper’s Blend. This one, “a nod to his parents and the path they paved for him,” is presumably an older blend, “made up of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskeys composed of two proprietary mash bills from different distilling partners – one a high rye 35% bourbon mash bill and the other a low rye 16-18% bourbon mash bill.” It carries an MSRP of $100, the same as the previous entries in this series.

On the nose, The Tribute Blend at first seemed a bit muted to me, but it ultimately just took a few minutes to open up. I’m getting more red fruit here in comparison with American Oak, a combination of vinous fruit, toasted malt syrup, and vanilla up front. The greater ethanol presence can be felt, but it also blows off in a few minutes, revealing more caramel and warm oak coming out over time. This one really grows in the glass, as I’m increasingly getting some lovely, delicate baking spice and warm pastry dough, evoking fresh cinnamon buns.

On the palate, this is significantly more round and smoothed out compared with the more angular and notably woody American Oak, with bold notes of brown sugar, toasted oak, French toast and subtle stone fruit. The warmth of this blend is quite apparent, with a very nice synthesis between sweet oak, caramelized sugars and subtle fruit. The oak presence is significantly more delicate in how it’s been integrated into the overall presentation, which makes me ultimately prefer this one to the more straightforward approach of the American Oak. All in all, a beautifully balanced blend.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.