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Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year vs Penelope Rio
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year and Penelope Rio sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, rye-forward bottling versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 10 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 91.2 proof (45.6% ABV) | 98 proof (49% ABV) +7 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 ~$40 less | ~$80 – $100 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 5/9 sweetness: Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
oak 8/4 oak: Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year 8 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year 4 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year 2 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year: The older version of Bulleit's high-rye bourbon. Ten years add a lot of oak and leather to the usual rye spice, and the finish turns dry and woody.
- 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 Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year if you want an oak-forward, ten-year high-rye bourbon at a gentle proof at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).