White peppermint | Pine | Floral | Coconut | Mellow oak 

Fresh mint | Caramel | Vanilla | Toasted coconut | Powdered sugar | Light intensity

Rye spice | Light cinnamon | White pepper | Charred oak | Oak tannins

2XO, “Two Times Oak,” is spearheaded by former Kentucky Owl creator Dixon Dedman. He sold the Kentucky Owl brand to Stoli Group in 2017, and surprisingly, in December 2024, Stoli announced bankruptcy. As with all 2XO releases, they undergo a second exposure to oak. 

2XO White Oak Rye is the third release in the company’s Oak Series and follows American Oak and French Oak releases. For this series, Dedman inserts chains of charred white oak in aging rye for an undisclosed amount of time. 

The rye opens with a distinct white peppermint scent that’s reminiscent of a York Peppermint Patty. From there, notes of fresh pine and a floral aura take over, with light coconut and oak rounding out the aroma. The palate presents fresh mint, quickly transitioning to caramel and vanilla. The flavors are fairly light in their intensity. A dusting of toasted coconut and powdered sugar is added, lending a slight confectionery flavor to the rye. The finish gently ramps up with rye spice and white pepper before reeling it in with light cinnamon, charred oak, and oak tannins, adding a degree of bitterness to the sip.  

2XO Oak Series: White Oak Rye seems designed for anyone who feels rye is too bold and spicy. Every aspect of this rye’s sip is delicately tempered with its harsh edges completely rounded out. This may be exactly what some want from a rye, but a good degree of character is lost in the process. The double oak aging also introduced an influx of charred oak and oak tannins during the whiskey’s finish, which detracts from the goodwill this rye initially possessed. While there are some enjoyable flavors present, they fail to exceed their potential.