Kentucky Owl’s Newest Bourbon Lives Up to the Cult Whiskey’s Unicorn Status
Can you bourbon brand It will retain its cult status even though a new master blender takes control. Is that really what it was? Fans of Kentucky Owl have been pondering these questions over the past few years, and the release of the new Batch #12 shows that the answer is a definitive “yes” and a wavering “maybe?”
Kentucky Owl Dixon Dedman, along with a few others, founded the company in 2014. It was a relaunched version of a whiskey brand His ancestor C.M. Dedman began in 1879, but was eventually closed in 1916 by Prohibition. Of course, the new Kentucky Owl has little to do with the original aside from pedigree and name, but it quickly reached “cult bourbon” status because of the high quality of the sourced whiskey In the bottles, which were equally expensive. Dedman sold his brand to Stoli Group in 2017. A year later, ground was broken on a new distillery, which is currently being constructed in Bardstown Kentucky, the epicenter for bourbon. Dedman, who was leaving Kentucky Owl in May 2021, launched Kentucky Owl. 2XO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey This is the latest product to hit the market.
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John Rhea, a veteran of the whiskey industry for 40 years, joined Kentucky Owl in June 2021 as master blender. He had previously held the position of COO at Kentucky Owl. Four Roses. Since coming onboard, he has worked on Batch #11 of the core bourbon lineup and two special releases, the St. Patrick’s Edition and Takumi Edition. This brings us to Batch 12. This bourbon is a mix of older (seven- to fourteen-year-old) bourbon. It’s bottled at 115.8 proof, and priced at $400.
This price tag is relevant information. Many people may wonder why they should pay more for whiskey that is within the same age range as bottles that cost less than a quarter. If quality matters first and foremost, as it should, let’s start out with the fact that this new bourbon is very good. This blend is a good balance of young and old. That’s why it has been blended with a range of ages. The flavors of mature whiskeys, such as deep cherry, vanilla caramel, and oak, are mixed with greener, more spicier tastes. The palate is rounded out with spice and heat at the end.
Overall, this whiskey is very satisfying and follows the same trajectory as previous Kentucky Owl batches. This is proof that Rhea has done everything possible to maintain the brand’s unicorn status. The new whiskey will appeal to the same people who were reluctant to pay $400 or more for Dedman-bourbon. To be fair, it’s kind of a hard sell—except I guess it really isn’t because the reality is that people snap up bottles like this as soon as they hit the shelves. It is a great bourbon to sip and has many layers of flavor. As far as its value and worth, that’s a judgment call you’ve got to make based on your means and appetite because there are plenty of other options out there. But if you do decide to take the plunge, you won’t be disappointed with this new high-end bourbon.
Score: 90
What does our score mean?
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100: It’s worth trading your firstborn for
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95 – 99 The Pantheon: A trophy to the cabinet
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90 – 94 It’s great: A friend will give you a nod of approval when you pour them a dram.
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85 – 89 Very Good: Great enough to buy but not exceptional enough to chase down on the secondary markets
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80 – 84 Good: Solid and reliable, more of your everyday drinker
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Below 80 It’s alright: Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this
Every week Jonah Flicker The world’s most interesting and buzzworthy whiskeys are here. Every Friday, his new selections will be available. latest review.
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