Compare
Four Roses Single Barrel vs Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Comparing Four Roses Single Barrel and Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year reveals a matchup between a traditional, spice-driven Kentucky staple and an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Single Barrel | Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 115.2 proof (57.6% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$60 – $65 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Single Barrel Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 7/5 fruit: Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 5 out of 10
heat 6/8 heat: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
spice 8/7 spice: Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
oak 6/7 oak: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- Four Roses Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
- Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year: Penelope's uncut flagship, now with a seven-year age statement. It is richer and spicier than the Four Grain, with caramel and rye spice carried by a lot of proof.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Four Roses Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range at a lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year if you want a well-priced, seven-year, uncut blend with real depth and spice with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year).