06/18/2026
🔥🦅 Barrel Pick Release 🦅🔥
‼️ Limit 2 | 199.99 ‼️
🚨 Only 30 bottles available 🚨
Gem of Kentucky Bourbon Single Barrel 165 selected with 🥃🎉
6 Years in the making and the first Gem of Kentucky pick to hit Illinois. & his family have already left an incredible legacy in the Bourbon industry. Dating back to the late 1800’s when his family started Kentucky Owl, to running the historic Beaumont Inn, to reviving the Kentucky Owl brand before he put all of his experience & resources into starting 2XO.
This particular barrel is a Jim Rutledge project. The lot of barrels appeared for sale on the wholesale market & Dixon asked Jim about them, Jim said “Buy them, buy them all right now”.
We can’t say the source but you can probably put it together. It’s a 35% rye bourbon mashbill distilled at a legacy distillery in Kentucky by Jim Rutledge. Off the still at 120 proof, 118 barrel entry proof, aged over 6 years then transferred to a new charred oak barrel & monitored by Dixon for an additional 2 years. The proof was 111 out of the barrel and then proofed down to 108 for bottling. This minimal water being added along with the long double oak maturation is the secret to the sauce.
This technique leads to a much bolder, more viscous Bourbon. The flavor & body drink well above the 108 proof without the heat. The nose pops through the glass & screams dark cherry, deep oak, vanilla, floral, & caramel with a classic Kentucky nuttiness. Upon first sip you can tell right away this is a big boy. The mouthfeel is bold, viscous, yet soft & inviting & follows the nose with additional notes of burnt orange peel. The finish lasts & lasts until you reach for your glass again.
To do this pick we went with a group of 6-7 people to Dixon’s office and selected our top 3. Then he brought those 3 samples to the Inn to blind our whole group and pick the winner. It was pretty much unanimous with barrel 166 taking 80% of the votes from the 3 options.
Over & over we’ve heard how much people didn’t want to justify the $200, but walked away with a bottle after a taste. You will not be disappointed. The vast majority of the barrel sold out through the club pre-sale and at our Masterclass with Dixon, so we only have 30 bottles left and they will not last long. This is pouring at the bar and we’ll update this post once we sell out, cheers! 🦅🥃🎉