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Old Forester Statesman vs Penelope Architect
Old Forester Statesman and Penelope Architect sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester Statesman | Penelope Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 95 proof (47.5% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +9 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$50 – $55 ~$13 less | ~$60 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester Statesman
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Architect
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester Statesman Penelope Architect
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 4/6 heat: Old Forester Statesman 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Old Forester Statesman 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 7 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
fruit 7/6 fruit: Old Forester Statesman 7 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Old Forester Statesman 2 out of 10, Penelope Architect 3 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Old Forester Statesman 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Old Forester Statesman: Old Forester's fruit-forward middle child, first made for a spy movie tie-in. Bright cherry and brown sugar lead, with cocoa and a touch of the house banana note.
- 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 Old Forester Statesman if you want a bright, cherry-sweet Old Forester that sits between the 100 and 1920 in weight at a lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice with slightly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Old Forester Statesman); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect).