Fox & Oden Double Oaked Straight Bourbon Whiskey by Jos. A. Magnus 750ml

Fox & Oden takes its name directly from Oden, Michigan — a real, small, unincorporated community on the northern tip of the lower peninsula, where Gilded Age distiller Joseph A. Magnus spent much of his own time and fortune. The brand's whole identity honors Magnus's genuine pre-Prohibition blending and finishing expertise, brought forward by a new generation of makers under the CraftCo portfolio, itself part of the DeVos-owned Windquest Group based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Double Oaked takes the same base whiskey used in Fox & Oden's standard Straight Bourbon — a blend of 8- and 15-year-old bourbons, built from MGP's 21% and 36% rye mash bills — and gives it a genuine second maturation stage, finishing in an entirely new, charred oak barrel. That extra oak contact is deliberately the whole point of this release, extracting real additional depth and complexity beyond what the standard release carries.

Reception among independent reviewers is genuinely honest and worth sharing directly, since it varies meaningfully. The Daily Pour's tasting found it "a bit heavy on the oak, but with some nice complementary notes," picking out "a big hit of bananas foster," alongside "cake batter, sweet cream, salted caramel, toasted walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon," concluding "overall, I quite enjoy this." Paste Magazine's Jim Vorel found "tannin" as "a major player, combining with charred astringency to end each sip fairly dry," noting plainly that "the fan of this bottle will be someone who appreciates bold, oak-forward drams with a good amount of tannic structure, rather than someone who is looking for a very desserty or decadent pour." Good Spirits News described "a richly appointed nose with a plethora of baking spices, vanilla and boozy whiskey balls," with "a light entry on the palate that teases you with a feather touch, but quickly transforms into a powerhouse of intense oakiness." A more critical Homebar.io review found the nose "pleasant with some sweet oak, brown sugar, caramel and maple syrup," but noted those notes were "muted by prominent barrel funk, white pepper spice and dry oak overtones" on the palate, concluding honestly that "this one just doesn't hold up to its price tag" relative to comparable double-oaked releases. The official tasting notes describe "inviting aromas of cocoa, caramel, and leather" on the nose, with "a rich tapestry of intense caramel, chocolate, pipe tobacco, and baking spices" on the palate, closing "long and warming, with lingering notes of oak and spice." This is genuinely bold, oak-forward whiskey — best suited to drinkers who specifically want that intensity, rather than a softer, more dessert-like double-oaked style.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Fox & Oden Double Oaked Straight Bourbon Whiskey is part of the Fox & Oden portfolio, part of CraftCo and the DeVos-owned Windquest Group, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The brand honors Joseph A. Magnus, a Gilded Age pre-Prohibition distiller who spent significant time in Oden, Michigan, the brand's namesake community.

The whiskey is a blend of 8- and 15-year-old bourbons, sourced from MGP in Indiana, using both 21% and 36% rye mash bills. Following primary maturation, the whiskey undergoes a second aging stage in a new, charred oak barrel — a genuine "double oaked" finishing process building additional depth and oak-driven complexity. Bottled at 49.5% ABV / 99 proof, 750ml, produced in small batches.

Critics Reviews

The Daily Pour (extended independent review):
"Plenty of dusty oak on the nose, plus root beer, chocolate malt, cherry cola, maple and pecan. Pretty viscous on the palate with some heat and loads of oak, tannin and char. It's a bit heavy on the oak, but there are some nice complementary notes, including a big hit of bananas foster that I'm really digging, plus cake batter, sweet cream, salted caramel, toasted walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon. A little too tannic, but man, there's a really cool, super creamy flavor profile going on here beneath the oak. Overall, I quite enjoy this."

Jim Vorel, Paste Magazine (extended independent review):
"The tannin is a major player, combining with charred astringency to end each sip fairly dry. Suffice to say, the fan of this bottle will be someone who appreciates bold, oak-forward drams with a good amount of tannic structure, rather than someone who is looking for a very desserty or decadent pour."

Good Spirits News (extended independent review):
"Richly appointed nose with a plethora of baking spices, vanilla and boozy whiskey balls. A light entry on the palate that teases you with a feather touch, but quickly transforms into a powerhouse of intense oakiness."

Homebar.io (extended independent review, more critical):
"The nose is pleasant with some sweet oak, brown sugar, caramel and maple syrup. Those notes ring true on the palate as well, but are muted by prominent barrel funk, white pepper spice and dry oak overtones. The finish does provide some pleasant and interesting flavors including tart cherry, cinnamon, and spearmint. For a brand we have liked thus far, it pains us to say it, but this one just doesn't hold up to its price tag. We really wanted to like it, but you're getting a much better deal by grabbing a Woodford Reserve Double Oaked or Old Forester 1910."

Fox & Oden (official tasting notes):
"Nose: Inviting aromas of cocoa, caramel, and leather. Palate: A rich tapestry of intense caramel, chocolate, pipe tobacco, and baking spices. Finish: Long and warming, with lingering notes of oak and spice."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Dusty oak leads, joined by cocoa, caramel, and leather, alongside root beer, chocolate malt, and toasted walnut.

Palate
Rich and viscous, with intense caramel and chocolate carrying the entry, developing pipe tobacco, baking spice, and bananas foster, balanced by prominent, genuinely bold oak tannin and char.

Finish
Long and warming, closing with lingering oak and spice, alongside tart cherry, cinnamon, and a touch of spearmint — genuinely oak-forward throughout, with reception on that intensity honestly varying by taster.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Grilled meats
• Dark chocolate desserts
• Aged cheddar
• Roasted nuts

Cocktail Suggestions

Old Fashioned
2 oz Fox & Oden Double Oaked · sugar cube · Angostura bitters · orange twist — the brand's own recommended showcase for this expression.