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Penelope Architect vs New Riff Single Barrel
Comparing Penelope Architect and New Riff Single Barrel reveals a matchup between a blender-built, even-keeled bottling and a modern, spice-driven craft expression.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Architect | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $70 | ~$55 – $70 |
- 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.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Architect New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/4 sweetness: Penelope Architect 7 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
spice 6/9 spice: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Penelope Architect 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
heat 6/7 heat: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Architect 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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.
- New Riff Single Barrel: The single-barrel expression of New Riff's 30% rye mash, non-chill-filtered and at higher proof than the bonded version. As dry and peppery as bourbon gets before it stops being bourbon.
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 New Riff Single Barrel if you want the most aggressively spice-driven bourbon in this list, with single-barrel variation on top.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).