Regular readers know I have been following Dixon Dedman’s 2XO project with interest, from my review of 2XO French Oak Bourbon to my recent Tasting Notes on 2XO The Sneakerhead Blend. In both cases, I found his double‑barreling approach could make relatively modestly aged Kentucky bourbon drink older than the label might suggest, a lesson he first drove home in the pre‑Stoli Kentucky Owl era.

Gem of Kentucky is 2XO’s limited release, double‑barreled single barrel line. Barrel #161 is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey bottled at 108 proof, drawn from a high‑rye mashbill with 35% rye and then re‑barreled into new charred oak for up to a year of additional maturation before bottling. The result is a whiskey that leans hard into Dixon’s house style: dense sweet oak, layered spice, and a profile that reads older than its likely mid‑single‑digit base age. My research indicates that this bottling was released in late 2024, but it took some time to make it to Hokus Pokus. I am glad it did so I could get a bottle.

Sourcing, mashbill, and proof

2XO does not disclose the distillery for Gem of Kentucky, beyond confirming that it is Kentucky straight bourbon built around a high‑rye mashbill with 35% rye. Enthusiasts have floated a couple of leading theories. Some have suggested a connection to Kentucky Artisan/Prestige‑associated stocks based on Dixon’s prior relationships and the general profile of the whiskey. Others see a close resemblance to Wilderness Trail’s well‑known high‑rye bourbon—especially in the mashbill, age range, and the bright citrus and herbal elements that can survive even heavy oak treatment. At this point there is no public confirmation from 2XO or any distillery, and Dixon has described his source in other 2XO contexts as being covered by a non‑disclosure agreement, so I treat both Kentucky Artisan and Wilderness Trail as educated guesses rather than established fact. While most of the bourbon community favors the Wilderness Trail theory, my palate says to me that this is likely Kentucky Artisan, as this tastes more sour than sweet mash to me.

What is clear is the recipe and the oak. Gem of Kentucky barrels, including #161, start life as a Kentucky high‑rye bourbon with 35% rye in the mashbill, and then spend up to about a year in brand‑new charred oak barrels of varying char levels as a second maturation before bottling at 108 proof. That second run through fresh, fairly aggressive char is what pushes the whiskey into the “drinks older than it is” territory I also noted in 2XO French Oak and The Sneakerhead Blend, though Gem is a more overtly oak‑driven, single‑barrel expression of the same philosophy.

Color and legs

In the glass, Gem of Kentucky Barrel #161 shows a very rich amber color with pronounced reddish hues that clearly reflect the extra time in new charred oak. The color really showed up well on the third photo in the carousel above. On the swirl it throws a medium film that quickly resolves into lots of gravity‑defying legs, reinforcing the impression of a dense, oily whiskey.

Nose

The nose is rich and immediately engaging. I get a core of vanilla, dark fruit, and well‑integrated oak, with a lift of citrus that hints at the underlying high‑rye mashbill. The overall effect is very rich and inviting—this is not a shy or closed whiskey on the nose.

Palate

On the palate, Barrel #161 is very rich and palate‑coating. Vanilla is joined by cherries, cardamom, pecan oil, and baking spice, with a distinct lemon note emerging on the back end that reads to me as the voice of the well‑aged high‑rye bourbon cutting through the oak. The double‑barreling here feels less like a simple “double oak” dessert profile and more like a way of concentrating and structuring the spice and fruit, in line with what I have come to expect from Dixon’s work.

Finish

On the finish, the cherries turn candied and the cardamom and baking spice carry straight through, framed by some lovely, measured oak. The finish is long and lingering, with that lemony high‑rye brightness flickering in and out beneath the oak and spice. It is a satisfying, contemplative finish that invites another sip rather than exhausting the palate.

Price and closing thoughts

Gem of Kentucky is not a cheap ticket—this bottle ran right at two Benjamins—but Barrel #161 earns its place on my living room bar with other limited release whiskies. Between the carefully selected high‑rye Kentucky bourbon, the extended second maturation in new charred oak, and the single‑barrel bottling at 108 proof, this feels like a pure expression of Dixon Dedman’s “make it drink older than it is” project. For drinkers who appreciated the oak‑forward complexity of early Kentucky Owl and have enjoyed other 2XO releases, Gem of Kentucky Barrel #161 will feel like a natural and worthy next step.