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Penelope Architect vs Booker’s
Put Penelope Architect next to Booker’s and you have a sourced, corn-forward blend set against an uncut, high-rye heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Architect | Booker’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +21 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$60 – $70 ~$33 less | ~$85 – $110 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Booker’s does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Penelope Architect
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Booker’s
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Flavor Profile
Penelope Architect Booker’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
nuttiness 3/8 nuttiness: Penelope Architect 3 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
heat 6/10 heat: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Booker’s 10 out of 10
oak 5/8 oak: Penelope Architect 5 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Booker’s 4 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Penelope Architect 7 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Nutty, grain-driven character is the divider.
- 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.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
Which One Should You Choose?
- 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.
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect); neat (Booker’s).