Stands Out

Penelope Rio 2024 Release
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Honey and Amburana Barrels Double Cask Finish

49% ABV
$90
Website

We would like to thank Penelope Bourbon and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Rio is our latest installment in our Cooper Series which takes our straight whiskeys on a world tour, pairing Penelope with unique casks from around the world. Inspired by the joy of Brazil, Rio delights the senses with a double cask finish of American honey and Brazilian oak. The two make perfect dance partners, rich and sweet, with surprising depth. It’s a carnival in a bottle.

TASTING NOTES
Aroma: Sweet honey with a fun Cinnamon roll note
Forward Notes: Sweet spice
Body Notes: Gingerbread, honey nectar & sweet baking spice
Finish: Long and savory finish with subtle hints of sweet honey & spice

BOURBON FACTS
Type & Proof: Four Grain | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 98 Proof | Non Chill-Filtered
Process: Blend of 3 bourbon mash bills comprised of four grains finished first in honey barrels and then new Amburana barrels from Brazil. Finishing period was ~2 years in total.
Age: 4-6 years
Mash Bill: 74% Corn | 14% Wheat | 9% Rye | 3% Malted Barley

What Gary Says

Nose:  Cinnamon rolls with honey, vanilla frosting, graham cracker crumbles with a bit of caramel and nutmeg.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with honey, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, nutmeg and a bit of pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long, syrupy with cinnamon rolls and honey.
Comments:  On the nose this doesn’t strike me as a “finished bourbon”. One of my pet peeves is when a finish overpowers the core whiskey, and that is the case here but . . . I really love it! As much as I want to critique the heavy handed finish, this is a delicious guilty pleasure. Sure, there’s some bourbon notes of caramel and vanilla tucked in there if you work at finding them, but the honey and cinnamon are center stage – and rocking it. If you want your bourbon to taste like bourbon, this could be disappointing. If you’re open to drinking what reminds me of honey slathered on freshly made cinnamon french toast (or a certain cinnamon roll drizzled in honey, you get the picture) – this is a really tasty treat!

Rating: Stands Out

Whiskey JYPSI Explorer 1st Release
6 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with French and Appalachian Oak Staves

51.5% ABV
$70
Website

We would like to thank Outsiders Spirits and CHQ Media for sending us samples to review.

What the Producer Says

Our all-new Explorer Series is based on the harmony of unparalleled six-year aged whiskeys and unique finishing woods from around the globe. Perfectly paired to showcase the impact of the woods on the whiskey — from premium versions of common woods to the exotic — and beautifully marries our passion for whiskey with our spirit of exploration.

The inaugural Explorer release starts with a blend of two six-year-old bourbons — a low rye distilled in Kentucky and selected for its sweetness and an Indiana high rye chosen for its spice. The combined mash bill of 66% corn, 30% rye and 4% malted barley is then slowly reduced to 103 proof and finished using two oak varietals — French Oak from France’s famed Forest of Tronçais and American Oak from the Appalachian Mountains. Each of these woods was chosen for its ability to accentuate the sweetness and spice of the blend.

FINISHED IN FRENCH OAK from the Forest of Tronçais
The French Oak staves used in the inaugural Explorer release come from the Forest of Tronçais and were selected because of their accentuated notes of spice and leather. The oak trees from this forest have been used to make barrels for centuries and have housed some of the finest Bordeaux wines ever made. The Forest of Tronçais was originally overseen by the Duke of Bourbon and was later planted with oak trees by Louis XIV to supply timber for the French navy. The Tronçais region was also home to early European troubadours whose musical traditions of merging melodies and poetry ultimately migrated to the Appalachian Mountains – which became the heart of America’s singer-songwriter tradition.

FINISHED IN AMERICAN OAK from the Appalachian Mountains
The American Oak staves used in the first Explorer release come from the same Appalachian Mountains that were home to the roots of country music, where cooler conditions lead to slower growth and a tighter grain. This results in a specific mix of sweetness, richness, depth, and viscosity that pair perfectly with the spice of the French Oak as a key finishing component. Explorer’s Appalachian Oak was also harvested near where Whiskey JYPSI’s co-founder Eric Church grew up in North Carolina.

What Gary Says

Nose: Interesting wood spices, sandalwood, vanilla, honey and leather.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel with vanilla, caramel, chocolate covered raisins, bit of cola and white pepper.
Finish: Long with pepper spice, vanilla cola and honey.
Comments: This is an entirely different whiskey than their first Whiskey JYPSI Legacy, but it similarly has just a really thick and chewy mouthfeel that I am all about. And on top of this, this is a really interesting whiskey! Same bottle as their other offering (which if I had my preference, would have a synthetic cork instead of the real one), filled with spicy but sweet bourbon. Really nicely balanced with the different oak casks contributing some spicy nuance.

Rating: Stands Out