Rye spice | Vanilla | Mint | Anise | Straightforward

Seasoned oak | Waves of rye spice | Toasted marshmallow | Caramel | Light tobacco | Sweet undertone | Rich with a medium body

Rye spice | Spearmint | Light dill | Caramel sweetness | Lingering spice with a touch of mint

Penelope Bourbon has been experimenting with a wide range of toasted barrel finishes. The company initially focused on bourbon, but has since added toasted rye to their ever-expanding product portfolio.

The bottle in review is a one-off batch, but according to Daniel Polise, Penelope Bourbon co-founder, the company is considering adding a toasted rye finish in the future. Even more notable is the mashbill, which is 100% rye. According to Polise, it was a custom mashbill and isn’t available as part of MGP’s standard options (see MGP’s bourbon and whiskey mashbills), though he noted it seems to be resonating well with the market. The whiskey was distilled on October 13, 2017, and was aged on the 6th (and highest) floor of Warehouse V, which is a brick warehouse so it “heats up like an oven” according to Polise. The whiskey itself is undoubtedly rye, and fuses together rye spice, hints of mint, tobacco, and light dill with sweeter flavors of caramel, vanilla, and toasted marshmallow. Not surprisingly, it deviates from the more well known MGP 95/5 flavor profile, but not so far that it feels in a different realm. Overall it’s immediately likable, and layers in depth not typically seen with ryes in this age range.

Since MGP’s acquisition of Penelope Bourbon earlier this year, fans have been wondering what might be next for the brand. In speaking with Polise, it’s clear the wealth of whiskeys aging at MGP will be at Penelope Bourbon’s disposal. Combined with Penelope’s ever-expanding portfolio and experimental nature, I wouldn’t be surprised to see (and am hopeful for) more exciting and unique one-off releases like this one.