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Eagle Rare 12 Year vs Penelope Four Grain
Comparing Eagle Rare 12 Year and Penelope Four Grain reveals a matchup between a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple and a sourced, even-keeled blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Eagle Rare 12 Year | Penelope Four Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) +15 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$50 – $80 | ~$30 – $40 ~$30 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- Eagle Rare 12 Year and Penelope Four Grain do not publish an official mash bill.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
Eagle Rare 12 Year
Top 3, behind George T. Stagg and Jack Daniel's 14.
Penelope Four Grain
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Eagle Rare 12 Year Penelope Four Grain
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/3 oak: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10
heat 5/2 heat: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 2 out of 10
spice 5/3 spice: Eagle Rare 12 Year 5 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 7 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 6 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Eagle Rare 12 Year 6 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 5 out of 10
nuttiness 4/4 nuttiness: Eagle Rare 12 Year 4 out of 10, Penelope Four Grain 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Eagle Rare 12 Year: Two more years and five more proof points than Eagle Rare 10. Brown sugar and toffee lead, with a drier, more astringent oak finish.
- Penelope Four Grain: A light, low-proof blend of corn, wheat, rye and barley. Honey, almond and orchard fruit keep it sweet and easy, though it reads young and thin when sipped neat.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Eagle Rare 12 Year if you want an older, richer step up from Eagle Rare 10 with more brown sugar and oak with more proof behind it.
- Go with Penelope Four Grain if you want an easy, light, honeyed bourbon that mixes well at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Eagle Rare 12 Year); highball, cocktails (Penelope Four Grain).