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Four Roses Small Batch Select vs Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Four Roses Small Batch Select and Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch Select | 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 | 6 years | 7 years +1 yr |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) | 115.2 proof (57.6% ABV) +11 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $65 | ~$60 – $65 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Select Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 8/5 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 5 out of 10
heat 6/8 heat: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
oak 6/7 oak: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
spice 7/7 spice: Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 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 Small Batch Select: Six recipes, non-chill-filtered, at 104 proof, and the most complete thing Four Roses makes at a normal price. The house fruit character with enough proof and texture to carry it.
- 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 Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle.
- Go with Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year if you want a well-priced, seven-year, uncut blend with real depth and spice.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year).