2XO "The Vinyl Blend" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

2XO The Vinyl Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a bold, expressive small-batch bourbon with personality as distinctive as its name. Designed to evoke the analog richness and layered complexity of a great record, it delivers robust caramel, spice, and toasted oak notes with impressive aromatic depth. This is a sophisticated, lively bourbon ideal for both contemplative sipping and standout craft cocktails.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Crafted in Kentucky, USA, The Vinyl Blend comes from 2XO Distillery, a producer known for artful blending and elevated maturation strategies that highlight balance and depth. As a straight bourbon whiskey, it is built on a traditional corn-forward mash bill, supported by rye and malted barley, then matured in new charred American oak barrels — the legal requirement for bourbon that also deepens texture and flavor.

What sets The Vinyl Blend apart is the focus on small-batch blending: selected barrels are combined to achieve a multi-layered flavor profile with both youthful vibrancy and mature wood influence. The branding nods to analog music culture, suggesting a drinking experience rich in nuance, rhythm, and evolving character — much like quality vinyl playback.

Although The Vinyl Blend does not carry a formal age statement, the straight bourbon criteria ensure at least two years of maturation, and the profile suggests a meaningful period in barrel that yields both oak complexity and grain clarity.

Critics Reviews

This expression has not been formally reviewed with published numeric scores by major spirits publications such as Whisky Advocate, Wine Enthusiast, or Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. Among bourbon professionals and craft spirits reviewers, however, 2XO selections are frequently noted for balance, aromatic complexity, and blending finesse, with The Vinyl Blend earning particular praise for its engaging sensory layers and smooth delivery.

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Rich and inviting, with caramelized sugar, vanilla bean, and toasted oak leading, followed by brown spice, black pepper, and subtle dried fruit. Notes of rich honey, toasted marshmallow, and light citrus peel provide additional aromatic intrigue.

Palate:
Medium-to-full-bodied and beautifully layered, starting with dark caramel and butterscotch, moving into baked apple, warm cinnamon, and nutmeg. A supporting layer of cedar wood, roasted nuts, and gentle rye spice adds backbone and complexity without overpowering sweetness.

Finish:
Long, warm, and satisfying, with lingering oak warmth, spice echoes, and sweet fruit notes that slowly recede. The finish underscores the whiskey’s elegant balance between grain, wood, and spice.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Recipes

Analog Old-Fashioned

• 2 oz 2XO The Vinyl Blend

• 0.25 oz demerara syrup

• 2 dashes aromatic bitters
  Stir with ice until chilled; strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with orange peel and a Luxardo cherry.

Kentucky Sidecar

• 1.75 oz 2XO The Vinyl Blend

• 0.75 oz orange liqueur

• 0.75 oz lemon juice
  Shake with ice and strain into a coupe; garnish with expressed lemon twist.

Spiced Boulevardier

• 1.5 oz 2XO The Vinyl Blend

• 1 oz sweet vermouth

• 0.75 oz Campari
  Stir with ice; strain into a chilled coupe; garnish with orange peel.

Bourbon Highball

• 1.75 oz 2XO The Vinyl Blend

• Soda water to top
  Build over ice in a highball glass; garnish with lemon wheel.