Penelope Estate Single Barrel 36% Rye Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

In September 2024, Penelope Bourbon introduced its new Estate Collection of limited-availability aged whiskey and bourbon releases – Founders Reserve, Private Select, and Single Barrel.

Penelope Founders Reserve features 24 barrels of experimental straight wheat whiskey with a mash bill of 95% wheat and 5% barley malt aged 11 years in charred new American oak barrels at the historic Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

In early December 2024, I reviewed the Penelope 2024 Estate Collection Private Select 9-Year Bourbon expression. You can read my tasting notes on the December 5th, 2024 Bourbon Awareness Blog.

The Single Barrel Bourbon carries a 10-year age statement. It is available in two mash bills: 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, and is packaged at 49% ABV (98°), and 60% Corn, 4% Barley Malt, and 36% rye, which is bottled at 52.5% ABV (105°). The Single Barrel has a suggested price of $89.99 for 750ml. Today, I'll explore the Penelope Estate Single Barrel with a mash bill of 60% Corn, 4% Barley Malt, and 36% rye Bourbon.

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. Inside, the liquid was a chestnut color, forming tightly spaced, thick, slow legs.

Nose: I allowed the whiskey to breathe for about 10 minutes. I found aromas of butterscotch, cherries, strawberries, rye spice, and oak. I also get some ground cinnamon and floral black pepper notes with a touch of honey, vanilla, and clove scent.

Palate: The first sip provided a silky, medium to full-bodied texture with a blast of charred oak. The palate ushers in dark cherries, strawberry, vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper, and leather flavors on the front. The middle featured rye spice, dark fruit, cinnamon, black pepper, and hazelnuts. I tasted more of the oak, dark fruit, chocolate, and caramel on the back of my palate. I tasted this Bourbon a dozen times and added some limestone water to analyze the flavor profiles with this Bourbon.

Finish: The finish was long, relatively even, and balanced. The finish was flavor-packed, consisting of rich caramel, oak, rye spice, pepper, leather, and hazelnuts.

Summary: The Penelope 10-Year Estate Single Barrel, with a mash bill of 60% Corn, 4% Barley Malt, and 36% rye Bourbon, is bold and complex but nicely balanced, allowing its flavors to shine and be more distinct. We expect a unique and different flavor profile from a single aging barrel, allowing you to experience the nuanced characteristics of that specific barrel. Penelope gave us a fantastic single-barrel expression, and It's not what I expected from this super high rye mashbill. The flavors were bold and rich, and the mouthfeel was medium-thick and luxurious. Sipping this whiskey was a delightful experience, making it well worth your time and money. Great job to the two Penelope, New Jersey, guys for making another fine bourbon.

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