Gary

Penelope Rosé Cask Finish Bourbon Batch 8
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

47% ABV
$50
Website

We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Penelope Rosé Cask Finish is the first installment in our Cooper Series which takes our straight whiskeys on a world tour, pairing Penelope with wine casks from the finest wine making regions. Sweet and delicate, Rosé Cask Finish marries our signature straight bourbon whiskey with hand-selected French Rosé wine casks from the Southern Rhône region, bringing together a truly unique alliance of flavor.

Mash Bill: 76% Corn | 14% Wheat | 7% Rye | 3% Malted Barley
Blend of 3 bourbon mash bills comprised of four grains (Corn, Wheat, Rye, and Malted Barley) finished in French Grenache Rosé Wine Casks from the Southern Rhône region of France.
Proof: 94
Aged 4 – 5 Years
Barrel Char #4 Staves, #2 Heads
Non Chill-Filtered

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Candied fruit and cream, floral and herbal notes
FORWARD NOTES: Sweet and refreshing hints of vanilla and viscous cream
BODY: Creamy sweetness transitions from the forward notes and into the body, herbal, floral and strawberry cream
FINISH: Rich creamy vanilla with hints of strawberry. Savory finish with lingering notes

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, berries, light caramel, floral with hints of oak and cedar.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with peaches, strawberries, vanilla and gentle cinnamon spice.
Finish: Short to moderate in length with vanilla and strawberries fading.
Comments: I definitely get the rosé finish for sure, not that it’s heavy handed. Sweeter and more floral with less caramel than an unfinished bourbon of similar mash bill/age. The strawberry notes are new to me in a bourbon (in fact having posted more than 660 whiskey reviews, I’ve only came across that note 3 times – all in Scotch). A bit of water brings out lighter fruit notes, but also thins it out rather quickly; and at 94 proof it doesn’t need more water. A nice summer sipper!

Rating: Stands Out

Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 18
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

57% ABV
$65
Website

We would like to thank Luxco for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Penelope Barrel Strength is bourbon in its purest form. Completely uncut and non-chill filtered, our barrel strength bourbon is just as delicious and even more powerful than our signature Four Grain blend.
Each batch of our Barrel Strength is blended from three bourbon mash bills and aged in hand-selected new American oak barrels, imparting notes of caramel syrup and subtle barrel char and pushing the boundaries of our Four Grain’s balanced flavor profile.

Mash Bill: 80% Corn | 8% Rye | 9% Wheat | 3% Malted Barley
Blend of three straight bourbon mash bills distilled in Indiana
Proof: 114
Aged 4 – 6 Years
Uncut & Non Chill-Filtered | Aged 4 – 6 Years

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Mandarin orange, with hints of vanilla
BODY: Brown sugar, cherry, and sweetened apricot
FINISH: Long finish with soft cinnamon powder and slight spice

What Gary Says

Nose: Blood orange, vanilla, honey, nutty with dark chocolate (and an aroma I can only describe as the Boston Baked Beans candy).
Palate: Chocolate-covered cherries, cinnamon, salted caramel, orange marmalade, nutmeg, and pepper.
Finish: Moderately long, syrupy with cinnamon, honey, and pepper spice.
Comments: For a barrel-strength bourbon, this is very light in color (lighter than the Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301). I really dig the Boston Baked Beans note on the nose (and if you’ve never had that candy, I’m sorry someone wronged you in your childhood by failing to introduce you) which is the first time I’ve gotten that note from any whisk(e)y. While it’s a nice enough pour, I was hoping for more. The low proof for barrel strength (as well as lightness in color) leads me to believe this was matured on a lower-level rickhouse where it didn’t get as much action from the barrel. It’s gentle for a barrel-strength bourbon.

Rating: Stands Out

Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$70
Website

We would like to thank Luxco for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Our Toasted Series is a testament to the power of serendipity. When we began to explore toasted finishes, we weren’t expecting each barrel to be so different — so we decided to embrace this variety of chars and toasts that make every bottle in our Toasted Series truly one-of-a-kind.

After full maturation in charred new American oak barrels, Penelope Bourbon is finished in a new, hand-toasted barrel. While it can be hard to predict the flavor profile of each bottle in our Toasted Series, the deep notes of vanilla imbued by the toasting process add another dimension to our signature flavor profile. Whether you’re into a Heavy Toast or Medium, our Toasted Series
truly offers something for everyone.

That’s the serendipity of Penelope.

Type & Proof: Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 100 Proof | Non Chill-Filtered | Aged 4 Years
Process: Straight bourbon whiskey finished in a new, freshly toasted barrel.
Toasted Barrel: Char 5 | Heavy Toast
Mash Bill: 74% Corn | 21% Rye | 5% Malted Barley

AROMA: Brown sugar and cinnamon breakfast pastry
BODY: Vanilla and graham cracker with hints of dried cherry fruit
FINISH: Savory roasted marshmallow finish and slight spice

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, subtle cinnamon rolls, toasted marshmallow, cornbread and charred oak.
Palate: Vanilla wafers, honey, caramel, cinnamon, apples, cherries and oranges.
Finish: Moderate in length, syrupy with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey.
Comments: I do get the cinnamon roll note but not nearly to the extent as with Penelope Rio. Overall, this is a very nice pour. Nothing off-putting to me other than the price tag which seems high (thinking of another very well established bourbon brand that offers a ‘toasted barrel’ variety at slightly less proof but more age for a lower price). Now if you’re a whisk(e)y geek, finding batches with different toasting levels and comparing contrasting those would be different and unique (and not something you could do with the other brand) – so that may be worth a premium. A bit of water brings out more honey and graham cracker notes, which I do enjoy – although this is quite nice neat as well.

Rating: Stands Out