Compare
Penelope Architect vs Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Comparing Penelope Architect and Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond reveals a matchup between a blender-built, even-keeled bottling and a modern, wheated craft expression.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Architect | Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley | 64% corn, 24% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +4 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $70 | ~$45 – $60 ~$13 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.
Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Architect Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/3 spice: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Penelope Architect 3 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Penelope Architect 7 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Penelope Architect 5 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line 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.
- Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond: A sweet-mash, bonded wheated bourbon from a distillery founded by two fermentation scientists, and the technical care shows in how clean it tastes. One of the strongest craft arguments on the shelf.
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 Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, sweet-mash wheater from a modern distillery doing genuinely careful work at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect); neat, rocks (Wilderness Trail Bottled-in-Bond).