Penelope Four Grain Barrel Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey

A little background

This product is bottled as 116.6 proof and comes in at a retail of around $55. It is distilled by MGP Ingredients, Inc. in Lawrenceburg, Indiana and is bottled in Louisville, Kentucky. The co-founders of Penelope Bourbon (Mike Paladini and Danny Polise) both grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. The product is a blend of 3 bourbon mash bills sourced from MGP Ingredients, Inc. which are comprised of undisclosed amounts of corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley. The whiskey is aged 2-3 years, and the company uses number 4 staves and number 2 barrel heads to achieve their desired char. The product is also non-chill filtered and is unique that it is a 4 grain bourbon whiskey.

(Tasted neat from The Cradle Glass)

Color

Gold

Nose

The nose starts off with very prominent notes of sweet tea and tabasco sauce and then moves into sweeter notes of caramel and dried fruits. You even pick up a little bit of black pepper towards the end.

Palate

The palate continues with the flavors of sweet tea and tabasco sauce but also picks up dry spices and a very pleasant apricot note. The bourbon coats the whole palate and has a low to medium viscosity. When a few drops of water are added, prominent notes of caramel and butterscotch are present on the nose and the bourbon becomes very approachable with an added level of spice on the finish.

Finish

This bourbon has a medium finish that hits the back palate and then lingers with notes of allspice and fresh brewed sweet tea.

In conclusion

This is a very balanced and mildly complex bourbon with notes of tabasco sauce and fresh brewed sweet tea standing out the most. The nose is intriguing and balanced and is followed by the palate which is also very balanced and follows the notes of the nose. The mouthfeel is nice, and the finish has a nice linger that you may have come to expect from barrel strength offering. This bourbon is well put together and well presented with the caveat that bourbon drinkers that enjoy traditional sweeter bourbon flavors may be turned off by the uniqueness of this product. That being said, if you see a bottle of this sitting on the shelf for $55, I would suggest picking one up as it will definitely be a new flavor experience for you and allow for great conversations with your drinking buddies.