2XO unearths another Gem

Dixon Dedman’s 2XO has released the second vintage of its highly touted Gem of Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon.

For the second release of 2XO’s Gem of Kentucky, blender Dixon Dedman selected 80 single barrels from stocks of 35% high rye Bourbon. Claiming to be the only single cask Bourbon on the market to have been matured in two separate barrels, the whiskey spent up to a year in an additional new charred oak cask before bottling.

“This release of Gem of Kentucky is big, rich, viscous, heavy on the palate but with a balance of sweetness and spice,” Dixon said.

For this release, Dixon partnered with Lexington-based glass artist Travis Adams to create The Unmined Gem, a one-of-a-kind hand blown glass sculpture that draws inspiration from the whiskey’s bottle and name.

“Through its contemporary form, internal crystal texturing, and hand etched details, The Unmined Gem fuses hand-blown glass with a premier Bourbon offering that any collector would be proud to own,” Adams said. “The hand-etched details of the presenter draw inspiration from central Kentucky’s topography, while the form itself references classic stills and my childhood memories of cracking geodes to reveal the crystals within.”

Later this month, the brand will share details via Instagram on the opportunity to purchase the presenter. The whiskey is an annual limited release available in select markets and priced at US$200. Each barrel number is displayed on the front label, with some barrels offering sweeter notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and toasted marshmallow that lead into baking spices. Other barrels are more savoury with notes of dark red fruits, nutmeg, and black pepper spice.

“Gem of Kentucky is unique, because it’s the only double barrelled, single barrel on the market,” Dedman said. “What better way to pair it than with a unique presenter, inspired by the black glass of the bottle and gold details? Travis really hit it out of the park with his creation, and I can’t wait for some 2XO fans to own one of these sculptures for themselves.”

Dedman previously blended for Kentucky Owl, his family’s whiskey brand that he revived in 2014 and sold to Stoli Group in 2017. He launched 2XO in November 2022, and has been growing the brand since with one-off blends.

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