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Bourbon Review: 2XO The Innkeeper’s Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon

We review 2XO The Innkeeper's Blend, the latest whiskey from master blender Dixon Dedman, formerly of Kentucky Owl fame.

OVERALL RATING

8
$99.99
  • Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer.
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2XO The Innkeeper's Blend review

Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Dark amber, tending toward brown.
Nose:
Banana bread and cotton candy, frosted flakes over whole milk, brown sugar, cherries, and molasses.
Palate:
Whereas the nose was sweet and balanced, it comes on fairly strong in the mouth; not what I could call balanced. But the flavors are enjoyable. It’s spicy up front, followed by caramel and chocolate. There’s a dark, rich mouthfeel to it, almost as if you could chew it. I get toffy, dark chocolate, and walnuts. The finish lingers at the back of the tongue, spicy again.
Finish:
Comments:
Dedman has said that a third release is coming in the Icon Series, called The Tribute Blend. That will be followed by a new series, the Gem of Kentucky bourbons. Each is supposed to be distinctive in its own right, but as consumers it’s helpful for us to decide what the 2XO brand stands for and if we should buy the new releases if and when we see them.rnrnWe have a sample size of two so far. My colleague Jennifer Williams raved about The Phoenix Blend recently, and I’m a fan of The Innkeeper’s Blend. That suggests that so far, at least, Dedman might be on his way to another noteworthy label.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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