Butterscotch | Oak | Cherry | Honey | Nutmeg

Sweet vanilla | Pear | Toffee | Browned butter | Sweet oak

Toasted oak | Honey | Caramel | Cinnamon sugar | A touch of rye spice

Penelope Architects of Golf series is a tribute to how Penelope Bourbon came to be. The birthplace of many ideas, the golf course was where Penelope co-founders Michael Paladini and Danny Polise conceived the company. Architects of Golf expands on the company’s core, year-round Penelope Architect bourbon, but instead of French oak stave finishing, it uses American oak and is a limited 18-series release, with each bottle representing one “hole.” According to the company, each "Hole" represents a different level and duration of American oak stave finishing, inspired by an 18-hole round of golf, and so far, for the first three holes released, features a 6 year age statement.

If you’re already familiar with the Architect series, you’ll instantly recognize that using American oak staves instead of French oak definitely results in a more classic-tasting bourbon - one more akin to the company’s core bourbon - except even sweeter. Featuring a three-grain mashbill instead of Penelope’s traditional four-grain mashbill, in conjunction with the American oak finishing, has resulted in a very sweet-tasting bourbon.

The aroma starts strong with sweet butterscotch upfront. Scents of oak, cherry, honey, and nutmeg immediately follow. The palate offers notes of sweet vanilla, pear, toffee, browned butter, and sweet oak against a finish that ramps up toasted oak, honey, caramel, cinnamon sugar, and a gentle pop of rye spice.

Penelope’s bourbon products have always strived for flavor accessibility. Architects of Golf Hole 2, in particular, is a sweet-sipping bourbon that is gentle and easygoing overall. It’s well-balanced, and even though it’s not overly complex, it's just easy to drink. Its flavors are paired well, producing a sip that is exacting and to the point. For anyone who may have found the French oak stave-finished Architect series to be heavy-handed, the Architects of Golf series seems to be its yin to its yang.