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Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel vs Penelope Architect
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel and Penelope Architect sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel | Penelope Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $80 | ~$60 – $70 ~$5 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Architect
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Flavor Profile
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Penelope Architect
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/5 oak: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 9 out of 10, Penelope Architect 5 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
nuttiness 5/3 nuttiness: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 3 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 7 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel: Finished in a second toasted (not charred) barrel, which produces an unmistakable toasted-marshmallow note. Sweet and heavily wooded, and one of the more distinctive finishes any major producer makes.
- 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 Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel if you want a distinctive toasted-oak, marshmallow-sweet finish you will not find in a standard bourbon.
- Go with Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect).