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Four Roses Small Batch Select vs Penelope Rio
Put Four Roses Small Batch Select next to Penelope Rio and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a sourced, corn-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch Select | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +6 proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $65 ~$30 less | ~$80 – $100 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- 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 Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Select Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/9 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
oak 6/4 oak: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
fruit 8/6 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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 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 Four Roses Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).