Distillery: Penelope Bourbon — Bardstown, Kentucky (sourced from MGP)
Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Age: Four Years
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 25% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
MSRP: $70
Who They Are
Founded in 2018, Penelope Bourbon, is named after one of the founder’s daughters. Penelope aims to create approachable, balanced bourbon expressions that will appeal to a broad spectrum of both newcomers and enthusiasts. If you have visited almost any retailer, you’ll notice that Penelope has a continuously growing lineup of unique bourbons. In some retailers, it’s a bit overwhelming to decipher such a broad range.
Penelope Toasted Bourbon represents yet another edition to their Toasted Series, which also includes a Toasted Rye expression. After its initial aging in a Char 4 barrel, this bourbon expression undergoes a secondary aging process in a Heavy Toast barrel. Unlike charring, which subjects the barrel to intense flames for a short period of time, toasting barrels uses a lower-temperature flame over a longer duration. The slow process usually aims to caramelize the wood’s natural sugars which can bring sweet, nutty, and smoky characteristics that distinguish toasted finishes from traditional finishes.
Penelope Toasted Straight Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes
Nose – 4.5/5
The Nose is a straight-up sweet treat with dominating notes of vanilla, honey, and caramelized sugar. Indeed, there’s a richness on the Nose—molasses comes to my mind. Despite the 21% Rye content, I cannot find any spice on the Nose, which surprised me. Instead, it is pure sweet goodness that creates an allure of the sweet treat that is forthcoming on the Palate.
Palate – 4/5
There are more than a few surprises on the Palate, and like many toasted expressions, it’s all about the layers. First, the allure of the sweet treat from the Nose was just that…an allure. The first sip brings a flood of unexpected yet delicious white pepper spice that lingers longer than you might expect—likely amplified by the viscous mouthfeel. Once the spice settles, the Palate is blessed with a delightful tartness—think tart apple pie.
Finish – 3.75/5
The Finish is both smooth, warm and hangs around for a surprisingly long time. The influence of the toasting shines as the Finish ties together the Nose and Palate quite nicely. It is not overly complex, but it is very satisfying.
Value – 3.75/5
Penelope Toasted Bourbon offers a high-quality expression that is distinctive enough to take a chance on the $70 price tag. If it were in the $60-$65 price range, this would be a definite 4/5.
For Enthusiasts, this is a chance to explore the impact of heavy barrel char that we don’t often find on the market. Combining that heavy barrel char with the secondary toasted aging, makes this expression unlike most that we find in the mid-tier premium category. For Beginners, this 100-proof bourbon is bold, but it is not overpowering, making it a good upper-end gateway into the bourbon world.
Penelope Toasted Straight Bourbon: The Verdict
Verdict – 4/5
Penelope Toasted Straight Bourbon is available across most of the United States. The company does not publish specific states or locations in which they are or are not available.
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 4.5 – 5
- Gold – 4 – 4.5
- Silver – 3 – 4
- Bronze – <3
