Pursuit Spirits launches its new Extra Special Double Oak series with a 20-month, premium-cooperage-finished rye limited to just 720 bottles, with access reserved for P. Club members in Louisville.
Pursuit Spirits is taking its double-oaked whiskey program a step further with the launch of Pursuit United XS Double Oak, a new premium series built around extended maturation in specially commissioned barrels. The inaugural release, Pursuit United XS Double Oak Rye, arrives at 126.2 proof after nearly two years of secondary maturation in custom American oak barrels from Seguin Moreau’s Napa cooperage.
Announced October 14, 2026, the release is limited to just 720 bottles at a suggested retail price of $149.99. With no traditional retail distribution or online sales planned, access is restricted to P. Club members through Pursuit Spirits’ Whiskey Row location in Louisville, Kentucky.
What Makes XS Double Oak Different?
The XS designation stands for Extra Special, distinguishing the new series from Pursuit United’s existing double-oaked offerings. Rather than relying on standard finishing barrels, Pursuit is commissioning custom casks from premium craft cooperages specifically for the program.
According to Pursuit Spirits, these full-sized barrels cost approximately six times as much as a typical new barrel. The investment is intended to give the blending team greater control over how the finishing wood shapes the final whiskey.
The company traces the project’s inspiration to its original formulation work on Pursuit United Bourbon. Co-founders Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil encountered whiskey aged in Seguin Moreau barrels that displayed unusually deep color and rich character despite being only four years old. The team purchased as much of that whiskey as it could, with the final remaining barrel eventually bottled as Pursuit Series Episode 063.
That experience helped establish the direction for XS Double Oak: exploring how carefully selected cooperage and extended secondary maturation can develop new dimensions in an established blend.
Inside the Inaugural Release
Pursuit United XS Double Oak Rye begins with Pursuit United Barrel Proof Rye, a blend of straight ryes from Bardstown Bourbon Company and Sagamore Spirit.
The whiskey was transferred into custom American oak barrels built by Seguin Moreau’s Napa cooperage. The barrels feature a No. 3 char and toasted heads, following the profile that originally caught Pursuit’s attention.
The team monitored the whiskey through repeated tastings over an extended maturation period.
“We pulled samples on these barrels for a year and a half,” said Ryan Cecil, co-founder and master blender at Pursuit Spirits. “At six months, it was already good, but good is where most finishes stop. Every time we tasted it, the whiskey kept evolving. After 20 months, it reached what I consider whiskey of the year potential.”
The resulting release comes in at 126.2 proof, with a tasting profile that emphasizes savory, sweet, and roasted characteristics.
Official tasting notes include:
Finish: Warm pipe tobacco, classic cola, and creamy roasted mocha.
Nose: Crisp pepperoni, dried herbs, buttery toffee, and rich maple syrup.
Palate: A full-bodied, viscous texture with sweet oak and caramelized burnt sugar.
” Pursuit is commissioning custom casks from premium craft cooperages specifically for the program… these full-sized barrels cost approximately six times as much as a typical new barrel.”
Availability and Pricing
The inaugural Pursuit United XS Double Oak Rye is available beginning October 14, 2026, exclusively through Pursuit Spirits’ Whiskey Row location in Louisville.
- Release: Pursuit United XS Double Oak Rye
- Proof: 126.2
- Bottle count: 720
- Suggested retail price: $149.99
- Availability: P. Club members, with limited access for new members who join in person
- Location: Pursuit Spirits, 722 W. Main St., Suite 100, Louisville, KY 40202
Pursuit has allocated 92% of the release to existing P. Club members. The remaining bottles are reserved for new members who join in person at the Whiskey Row location.
There will be no online sales, shipping, or separate gift shop allocation. The whiskey will also be available by the pour at Trial + Error, the cocktail lounge beneath Pursuit Spirits’ Whiskey Row location.
More XS Double Oak Releases Are on the Way
The launch is the beginning of a broader program rather than a one-off experiment. Pursuit says additional XS Double Oak releases are already maturing, with future announcements planned.
“We’ve been developing our double oak program since 2022,” said Kenny Coleman, co-founder and COO of Pursuit Spirits. “It’s a continual journey to find new ways to develop flavors for our core Pursuit United whiskeys. The intentionality with XSDO is making sure the barrels are not a commodity. Every release under XS Double Oak will feature barrels that are specifically curated for this project.”
For a brand built around sourcing, blending, and transparency, the series offers another way to differentiate its whiskey through production choices rather than simply introducing another label or proof point.
Ryan Cecil, co-founder and master blender at Pursuit Spirits“After 20 months, it reached what I consider whiskey of the year potential.”
Why This Matters
Double-oaked whiskey has become an established category, making differentiation increasingly important for brands looking to justify premium prices. Pursuit United XS Double Oak takes a more resource-intensive approach by commissioning specific barrels and allowing the whiskey to mature in them for an extended period.
The inaugural release also highlights a central advantage of blending: the ability to combine whiskey from different producers and then shape the final profile through deliberate maturation choices. In this case, the blend draws from two established rye whiskey sources, while the custom cooperage provides another variable for the blending team to control.
The $149.99 price and 720-bottle production run put this release firmly in limited-edition territory. With most bottles already allocated to existing club members, it is also an example of how membership programs can provide a direct channel for premium releases without relying on conventional retail distribution.
The bigger test will be whether future XS Double Oak releases demonstrate a consistent, recognizable house style while offering meaningfully different expressions. Custom barrels and extended maturation create possibilities, but the whiskey ultimately has to justify the premium in the glass.
Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:
Pursuit United XS Double Oak Rye is an ambitious next step for a blending-focused brand that has made transparency and flavor development central to its identity. Commissioning premium barrels, monitoring the whiskey over nearly two years, and limiting production to 720 bottles gives the inaugural release a clear story beyond its high proof and hefty price tag.
At $149.99, this is not a widely accessible bottle, and its member-first allocation makes it even harder for the average whiskey drinker to try. The official tasting notes suggest a compelling combination of savory rye character, rich sweetness, and roasted depth, but the real question is whether that extended maturation delivers enough complexity to distinguish it from less expensive double-oaked alternatives.
I’m interested to see whether XS Double Oak can turn this first release into a genuinely distinctive series rather than simply another premium label. With additional barrels already aging, Pursuit has an opportunity to show what thoughtful cooperage selection and patient blending can accomplish over time.
One thing is clear: Pursuit is betting that the details of how whiskey is finished can matter just as much as where it starts. The next releases will show whether that bet pays off.
Disclosure: Pursuit Spirits provided this announcement and press information. No media samples were available for this limited release, so the tasting notes above are from the producer and do not represent an independent tasting by The Bourbon Bishop.
About Pursuit Spirits
Pursuit Spirits is a Louisville, Kentucky-based whiskey company founded by Ryan Cecil & Kenny Coleman, the team behind Bourbon Pursuit. Rather than operating exclusively around a traditional single-distillery model, Pursuit has built its portfolio around sourcing, blending and finishing American whiskey to create distinct flavor profiles.
Its flagship Pursuit United line combines whiskey from multiple sources, while the company also operates its Louisville Whiskey Row location and offers experiences centered around blending, barrel selections and American whiskey.
Pursuit’s approach makes it a particularly relevant participant in collaborations like Found Footage, where the goal is less about presenting a single distillery’s traditional house style and more about deliberately constructing a specific whiskey profile.
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