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Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Penelope Rio
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond and Penelope Rio sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +2 proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 ~$40 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
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/4 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/9 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
- 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 Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it 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, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).