Up and Coming Brand 2XO Claims its New ‘Gem of Kentucky’ Whiskey Is Different From Any Other Bourbon on the Market — Here’s How

2XO, the whiskey brand founded by Dixon Dedman, who revived Kentucky Owl, announced the release of Gem of Kentucky. (Photo: 2XO)

On Wednesday, 2XO Whiskey launched a new bourbon, Gem of Kentucky. Gem of Kentucky is what 2XO claims is the only double-barreled, single-barrel Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey on the market. The offering hosts a suggested retail price of $200.

Gem of Kentucky was chosen from single barrels within 2XO’s stocks, and Dedman favored a high-rye bourbon with a mashbill hosting 35% rye. As part of the double-barreling process, the whiskey spends additional time in new charred oak barrels with a char 3 and char 4 toast level.

“The inspiration for Gem of Kentucky was to take my high rye double-barreled mashbill and show the nuances you can get from different barrels,” said Dedman in a news release from the brand. “Each taste profile changes from barrel to barrel. The common theme is the viscosity, the mouthfeel, and the richness in each one of these. And I wanted this liquid in a black bottle because I didn’t want it to look like any other whiskey bottle on the shelf, something more modern sleek and elegant.”

The brand claims Dixon’s groundbreaking double-barreling process yields more viscosity on the palate as a result. This release follows the previous launches of other small-batch blends from 2XO’s The Icon Series. The series includes The Phoenix Blend, The Innkeeper’s Blend and the Tribute Blend.

In September, 2XO released American Oak, the brand’s first core release within the Oak Series. 2XO described the Oak Series as “everyday offerings” meant to be consistent, Monday through Friday drinkers.

Dedman’s reputation precedes him. According to Whisky Advocate, Dedman’s great-great-grandfather Charles Mortimer Dedman founded Kentucky Owl in 1879. Though Dedman worked at Kentucky Owl as a blender for seven years, the brand achieved quite a bit of recognition, only to be purchased by the Stoli Group in 2017.

Gem of Kentucky hosts distinctive tasting notes, as each double-barreled single barrel is unique, according to 2XO. The brand describes some barrels as offering up more dessert-driven aromas, including “chocolate, cinnamon and toasted marshmallows.” Other barrels tilt towards the savory end of the spectrum, with a bit of red fruit, and spice.

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