Tasting: 2 Fox & Oden Whiskeys (Double Oaked Bourbon, American Single Malt)

You have to wonder, at times, just how many sourced whiskey brands the market can support–especially when those brands are so often drawing their sourced spirit from the same small handful of places. And yet, it’s not really so simple as just saying “Hey, there’s a lot of MGP whiskey out there on the shelves,” because can one really compare the average sourced MGP bourbon, which is so frequently a modestly aged product, with the likes of the new Fox & Oden Double Oaked, a blend of much more mature 8-15 year old MGP bourbons? It should likely go without saying that not all sourced MGP bourbon can be categorized the same way, but it’s a detail we sometimes forget all the same.

But wait: What is Fox & Oden? This is a newer company operating out of Michigan, obfuscated somewhat by a lack of detail on who exactly they are and how precisely the concept is being run. I suspect that this is likely intentional; a well-heeled ownership group preferring the marketing visual of a small, upstart company rather than a brand that is part of a bigger whole. In truth, they appear to be owned by private equity firm The Windquest Group, owned by the billionaire DeVos family. That effectively makes Fox & Oden a sister brand to the Joseph Magnus line of whiskeys, which we recently tasted as well. Both sourced brands are apparently being blended and bottled out of Holland, Michigan’s Coppercraft Distillery, also owned by Windquest.

Alright, so what does Fox & Oden actually do, then? They’re sourcing whiskeys from at least a few places, with an American single malt whiskey sourced from an unnamed distillery in Ohio, and bourbons from Indiana–which definitely means MGP, particularly when you factor in the publicly available high-rye mash bills. These bourbons are notable primarily for being significantly older blends (of 8-15 years) than is common to find in the market for MGP whiskey, and they carry a premium price point (around $100) as a result. With that said? Even $100 isn’t particularly high for well-aged MGP bourbon, which can often be quite pricey. They also produce a younger rye whiskey as well, but today I have two offerings to taste: The American single malt, and the Double Oaked Straight Bourbon Whiskey. So let’s get to it.

Fox & Oden American Single Malt Whiskey

ABV: 47% (94 proof)
MSRP: $70

As previously mentioned, the label for this American single malt whiskey notes that it was distilled in Ohio, which gives many possibilities for its source. According to Fox & Oden, it is a blend of 4-8 year old malt whiskeys from one distillery, which is likely on the older side of the emerging American single malt market, particularly for U.S. malt whiskey that is aged exclusively in newly charred oak, which I suspect this probably was after tasting it.

On the nose, this is initially a bit shy but then starts to warm up quickly. I’m getting caramel and toasted biscuits, with prominent floral notes and more nebulous hints of red berries. Once I zero in on the impression, one also comes to realize that this is quite roast-forward on the nose, with lots of charred oak, coffee and the suggestion of very dark chocolate.

On the palate, this provides an interesting contrast between the flavors I feel are being generated by the base spirit–granola, spiced oats, floral notes–and the ones that are more clearly provided by the cask, which come through in bombastic waves of charred oak and espresso. The effect is a little bit incongruous perhaps, but interesting all the same. In general, this feels like a good example of the character that is infused in U.S. malt whiskeys by newly charred oak, which is a profile that many have likely come to associate with the style, rather than the more traditionally U.K. centric style of aging in reused bourbon barrels or fortified wine casks. The “American” is shining through here with intensity.

Fox & Oden Double Oaked Straight Bourbon

ABV: 49.5% (99 proof)
MSRP: $100

This is a whiskey that I’m looking forward to trying, because as I noted above, despite all the MGP bourbon in the market, finding genuinely well-aged blends from Indiana is still much more of a rarity. This is a blend of 8-15 year old bourbon from two of MGP’s classic high-rye mash bills (21% and 36%), given a second maturation in a freshly charred cask. They don’t note many other details, such as the length of that secondary maturation. In general, though, it’s not hard to see how you end up at a $100 price point with this combination of age and secondary finish.

On the nose, the first thing this suggests to me is cocoa, with a distinct impression of chocolate-covered cherries. There’s some rye spice providing a bit of a herbal tone, and a little leathery maturity to it as well. Perhaps surprisingly, a little grain-forward note survives all that aging, suggesting toasted strands of wheat or bread. But the star of the show is certainly oak, with impressions that are very mature and a bit oak-funky. This certainly suggests charred wood and rickhouse.

On the palate, that oak really comes to the forefront, combining with dark brown sugar and molasses to conjure an initial impression that is sweetly woody, before significant tannin counteracts the initial sweetness. There’s tons of old oak and char here, combined with leather, herbal rye and very dark fruit (black cherry). It favors a certain earthiness and savory dimension that touches on tobacco and pepper, with well-integrated ethanol. The tannin is a major player, combining with charred astringency to end each sip fairly dry. Suffice to say, the fan of this bottle will be someone who appreciates bold, oak-forward drams with a good amount of tannic structure, rather than someone who is looking for a very desserty or decadent pour. I’m fine with this, as this style of bourbon out of MGP isn’t something that is particularly well represented in the market today. Just be aware of the oaky intensity, if you’re interested in checking out Fox & Oden Double Oaked for yourself.

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