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Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish vs Penelope Architect
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish and Penelope Architect sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish | Penelope Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 91.4 proof (45.7% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +13 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$90 – $130 | ~$60 – $70 ~$45 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Architect
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Flavor Profile
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Penelope Architect
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 8/5 oak: Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 5 out of 10
spice 4/6 spice: Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 7 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish: The standard Michter's bourbon given a second toasted barrel, which adds sweetness and wood to an already polished pour. Genuinely good, though the price has drifted well past what the liquid alone justifies.
- 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 Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish if you want the smoothest, most polished toasted-barrel pour here and price is not the deciding factor.
- Go with Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat (Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect).