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Penelope Architect vs Four Roses Single Barrel
Penelope Architect and Four Roses Single Barrel sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, classically built blend versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Architect | Four Roses Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +4 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $70 | ~$45 – $55 ~$15 less |
- 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.
Four Roses Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Architect Four Roses Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/8 spice: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Penelope Architect 7 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Penelope Architect 5 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 6/7 fruit: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10
heat 6/6 heat: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Architect 3 out of 10, Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Four Roses Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
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.
- Go with Four Roses Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect); neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel).