I had not tried any of the 2XO releases due to the high cost of admission, but when 2XO American Oak showed up locally for under 50 bucks I figured it was time to give it a spin around the block. At 46% ABV I didn’t expect this Bourbon to exhibit a strong presence of alcohol, but I was prepared for a strong Oak presence as the label suggested. I had nearly finished the bottle when I took a look at the website and noticed it said it was perfect for cocktails. I’m not sure about you, but it’s rare I will spend 50 bones on a bottle to mix into something. The one exception would be an Old Fashioned where the Rye or Bourbon might be showcased. Anyway, let’s get to what’s important, how it tasted. The aroma was filled with caramel, vanilla, citrus, and oak. The alcohol was surprisingly notable in the aroma, but not off-putting. The flavor was brown sugar, caramel, more vanilla, citrus, with oak character, leather, and black pepper. The alcohol was a complement in the flavor and did not detract. The finish was even with lasting oak, leather, black pepper, and pleasant caramel into the aftertaste. The post consumption alcohol warming was notable, but not over the top. Now you may wonder if I think this was worth the price of admission, and it was, but unfortunately not more. Had this crested above 50 beans it wouldn’t have been worth the coin, it just did not have enough complexity to command a higher price point. So should you get a bottle, likely the answer is yes if you like a strong oak presence in a sub 100 proof Bourbon. If you like your Bourbon stronger or prefer less Oak then this is not the Bourbon for you. Most of the other 2XO releases have been a benny or more. Unless the reviews are stellar I’m going to be hesitant to bring one home. I do hear great things about the others, but somewhere in the back of my mind I wonder if that’s tater hype or because the Bourbon is truly stellar.
2XO American Oak
21 Saturday Oct 2023
Posted Bourbon
in