Caramel kettle corn | Strawberry | Agave | Vanilla wafer | Cake batter | Toasted oak

Honeycomb | Browned butter | Creme brulee | Cinnamon frosting | Sweet

Toffee | Trail mix | Touch earthy | Light aged oak | Lingering cinnamon spice | Savory

There is seemingly no end now to how each additional year of age helps improve MGP/Seagrams light whiskey. Penelope 13 Year American Light Whiskey showed that there was an appetite for light whiskey, and it was likely many bourbon drinkers’ first experience with the style of whiskey. But it wasn’t until the release of the 15 Year Old that everything started to come together to an even greater degree. Its flavor profile, while familiar, deepened in intensity and complexity, resulting in a whiskey that was one of the best of 2024.

A year later, with two additional years added to its age statement (MGP has a range of light whiskey barrels at different ages), Penelope 17 Year American Light Whiskey is yet another improvement over their previous release. Following a similar playbook, its flavors are more profound and complex, but there is also a widening between its sweet and savory flavors. Particularly in its palate is where many of its sweetest flavors lie: honeycomb, browned butter, creme brulee, and cinnamon frosting. But its finish brings more earthiness this time out and features trail mix’s fruity, grainy, savory, and nutty qualities. Penelope 17 Year American Light Whiskey also ups the brand’s proof this time out, going from 128.4 to 138.8 proof. This seems to come at a slight loss of the creaminess found in the 15 Year release, though the extra proof really accentuates many of the whiskey’s flavors to a more significant degree. As with many light whiskeys, it also doesn’t drink as hot as you’d expect.

Penelope 17 Year American Light Whiskey is another fantastic showing from Penelope, who is the dominating tour-de-force of American light whiskey at the moment. Also, in a rare occurrence, Penelope decreased the price of this year's edition by $30, making it one of the lowest-priced, highest-rated whiskeys we've reviewed. As we’ve seen what doubling the age of light whiskey can accomplish, there is no doubt Penelope will continue to up the age of their fantastic American light whiskey series, and whiskey drinkers will benefit from it.