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Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series vs Penelope Rio
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series and Penelope Rio sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, classically built craft style versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 98.9 proof (49.5% ABV) | 98 proof (49% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 ~$28 less | ~$80 – $100 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 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
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/9 sweetness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
oak 6/4 oak: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 3 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series: A blend of Bardstown's own young distillate with older sourced Kentucky whiskey, which is exactly what the name describes. Polished and fruit-leaning, and a clear demonstration that the blending is the skill on show.
- Penelope Rio: Penelope's four-grain blend finished in honey barrels and then amburana wood. It tastes like a cinnamon roll: honey, gingerbread and sweet baking spice.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series if you want a well-built modern blend that shows what careful blending does rather than what age alone does at a lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).