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Ancient Age vs Penelope Toasted Series
Ancient Age and Penelope Toasted Series sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, rye-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Ancient Age | Penelope Toasted Series |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +20 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$14 – $18 ~$47 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Ancient Age does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Toasted Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Ancient Age Penelope Toasted Series
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/7 oak: Ancient Age 3 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10
heat 2/5 heat: Ancient Age 2 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10
sweetness 5/7 sweetness: Ancient Age 5 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10
spice 4/5 spice: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 3 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
- Penelope Toasted Series: Finished in a second, freshly toasted barrel, which pushes it toward toffee, roasted coffee and darker oak. The toast level changes from batch to batch.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
- Go with Penelope Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish with more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball (Ancient Age); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series).