Maple syrup | Molasses | Brown sugar | Honey | Hint of apricot

Brown sugar | Maple syrup | Raisin | Slight oak | Hint of allspice | Full-bodied mouthfeel | Rich flavors

Allspice | Brown sugar | Caramel | Maple syrup | Molasses | Slight leather | Sweet

Penelope Havana is a project co-founders Danny Polise and Michael Paladini have been working on for quite a while, which was introduced as a concept when we discussed upcoming products with them a year ago. The concept was inspired by the feeling of a warm night in the Caribbean…what would that mood taste like? As Polise tells me, it took numerous iterations to zero in on the right formula, but the end result is a 4 year old wheat-heavy four grain bourbon that was finished in Caribbean rum barrels for 12 months and an additional 1 month in maple syrup barrels. Batch #1 yielded a total of approximately 27,000 bottles and started hitting shelves in late December 2024.

Maybe a bit serendipitous, but Havana is a whiskey that tastes exactly how it feels, if that makes any sense. The name and label convey a sweet, Caribbean-style finished whiskey that might pair well with a hot island night, and that’s exactly what Havana is. Maple syrup weaves its way throughout the entire experience, though it’s never overpowering, instead acting more like a unifying flavor agent. On the nose, it combines with other sweet scents of molasses, honey, brown sugar, and a hint of apricot. There’s a weight to the palate, which is likely due to the maple syrup barrel finishing, and it makes for a rich, full-bodied midpoint that is filled with brown sugar, raisin, and the everpresent maple syrup note. Slight oak and allspice accents transition the whiskey into the finish, where allspice is most prominent but still moderate, which then combines with brown sugar, caramel, molasses, maple syrup, and slight leather on the backend. It’s very sweet, and due to the intensity of flavor, is quite long-lasting.

Havana is very sweet overall, which may not be for everyone. However, for those who enjoy the concept, the flavors are dialed in perfectly, and its rich, full-bodied mouthfeel makes for a delightful experience. It won’t be for bourbon purists, but the fact that Polise was able to take a relatively young four grain blend and finish to such an enjoyable degree at scale speaks volumes for the brand as it undergoes its first few years of expansion.