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Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond vs Penelope Rio
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond and Penelope Rio sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +2 proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $50 ~$43 less | ~$80 – $100 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Rio
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Flavor Profile
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/9 sweetness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
spice 8/6 spice: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 8 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
fruit 7/6 fruit: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 2 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond: Bardstown's own high-rye recipe, distilled on site rather than sourced. More than a third rye gives it a bright, minty, fruit-and-pepper profile over caramel and light oak.
- 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 Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond if you want a spicy, fruit-forward high-rye bourbon with the guarantees of a bonded label at a significantly 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, old-fashioned, cocktails (Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).