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Booker’s vs Penelope Architect
Put Booker’s next to Penelope Architect and you have an uncut, high-rye heavyweight set against a blender-built, corn-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Penelope Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +21 proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 | ~$60 – $70 ~$33 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Booker’s 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
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Architect
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Penelope Architect
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 8/3 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 3 out of 10
heat 10/6 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 5 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Penelope Architect 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
- Penelope Architect: Penelope's four-grain blend finished with French oak staves chosen for their tannin. The French oak adds berry, cherry and warm spice to a vanilla-heavy base.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with more proof behind it.
- Go with Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect).