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Penelope Architect vs Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Comparing Penelope Architect and Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year reveals a matchup between a blender-built, even-keeled bottling and a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Architect | Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +4 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $70 | ~$35 – $45 ~$25 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.
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
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Flavor Profile
Penelope Architect Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/7 oak: Penelope Architect 5 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Penelope Architect 3 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Penelope Architect 7 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 6 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year: Seven years, bonded, and priced sensibly — the specification sheet reads like something from twenty years ago. Balanced and oak-leaning without ever getting heavy.
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 Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year if you want a bonded, age-stated Kentucky bourbon that gets the fundamentals right for under forty dollars.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7 Year).