Episode 13: Penelope Four Grain Toasted Series Barrel Strength Bourbon

The Pot Still Column: Episode 13

Penelope Four Grain Toasted Series Barrel Strength Bourbon

Batch #21

Proof: 114

Age: 4.5 Years

Finish: Toasted Barrel

Source: MGP (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) sourced by Penelope Bourbon

Price: $55.00 to $70.00

Penelope Bourbon. The nascent brand has become a hot topic on social media in recent years, and the tall, "P"-emblazoned bottles have claimed consistent real-estate in many of our feeds. Most recently, Penelope has gathered some acclaim for of their hyper-successful Architect series. How will their Toasted Series Four-grain Bourbon stand up to the hype?

Founded in 2018, Penelope Bourbon is a latecomer to the bourbon scene, but their arrival has not gone unnoticed and they've managed to draw the attention of social media influencers across several platforms. The New Jersey-based brand sources very transparently from MGP of Indiana, making use of three distinct mashbills to produce a unique blend of four-grain whiskey. While some distilleries have deviated from this path, Penelope's four-grain bourbon includes the traditional combination of corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley.

Penelope's Toasted Four-grain series is a limited release featuring their standard bourbon finished in a toasted barrel. Toasted barrel finishing has gained some traction in the past few years, inspiring multiple brands to release their interpretations of a toasted barrel whiskey (see Elijah Craig Toasted, Michter's Toasted). A toasted barrel finish is brought about by aging the whiskey in a barrel that has been exposed to lower temperatures for longer periods of time during the charring process, as opposed to the quick, high-intensity char that is used in the production of most new oak barrels. Supposedly, the slower charring time allows for the wood sugars to express themselves differently, producing a distinct flavor profile in the finished product. This batch of barrel strength bourbon was rested for 4.5 years in a barrel that underwent a heavy toast and a level-3 char.

The pour... very im-pour-tant...

The bourbon is medium in color, lighter than it is dark. The bottle presentation is very simple, defined by a paper label, a custom tampering seal, and a humble synthetic cork. The gold foil used for the "P" logo makes the bottle feel like a special release, bestowing it with a royal aesthetic. The bottle is tall, possibly too tall, although I do generally prefer tall and slender bottle designs for their storage compatibility.

My first exposure to the nose conflicts with my knowledge that this is an MGP bourbon. If anything, the bourbon smells more like what I have come to expect from Barton 1792. After sitting in the glass for 10 minutes, dense notes of caramel waft up from the opening, accompanied by a mild peanut note. One might be surprised at how many different ways the smell of peanuts can express itself in a whiskey. Sometimes the scent is more of a dry and salty peanut shell, other times a creamy and oily peanut butter, and not infrequently a caramelly peanut brittle. The smell I find here reminds me of a honeyed peanut butter, something that one might find in a protein snack box from Starbucks. Vanilla is another dominant note, and a pleasant warmth can be felt boiling over the rim of the glencairn. Illusions of temperature don't always play a role in the nosing experience, so this is a welcome surprise. Barrel char and a slight peppery note garnish the otherwise caramel-forward nose.

The taste is a little less rich than the smell, but still has plenty to offer. The experience begins with a powerful punch of alcohol sharpness, traversing the palate in a wave from front to back. Caramel and vanilla are both present, and the peanut essence takes a backseat, becoming almost invisible. The caramel is strictly a bourbon caramel, not butterscotch, and the ethanol sting makes it feel brighter than it really is. The majority of the flavor is concentrated on the upper palate, settling on the roof of the mouth and less so on the very back of the tongue. The finish is simple but pleasant, mostly oak with a hint of sweet caramel. The finish is more of a sensation than a flavor with this whiskey, feeling slightly numbing and grainy on the rear of the palate.

Closing Impression:

This is a pretty good classic bourbon, and anybody who appreciates that type of profile and doesn't have an aversion to nuts would likely enjoy this. While there isn't a terrible amount of complexity or character to distinguish it from its competitors, the whiskey is just unique and misleading enough to confuse the drinker about its distillery of origin. The people at Penelope did a great job with this blend, making the best out of a 4.5-year bourbon and distinguishing it as a bottle worthy of "best in class". The price seems to differ from store to store with this release, leveling out at around $70.00, but I was able to find a bottle for $55.00. At 55 bucks, this is a great pickup but not a rare steal, as one could find a dozen other whiskeys with nearly identical flavors for the same price--- such is the nature of sourced whiskey. However, most cask strength MGP tends to sell for upwards of $80 in the current market despite its age, so the price for Penelope's Toasted Edition is comparatively very fair. If one can find this for around $60.00, it is a tough bottle to beat in its weight class of 4.5 year classic bourbon.

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Nose: 83/100

Taste: 81/100

Finish: 73/100

Overall: 79/100 [Pretty Good, bordering on Good]