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Penelope Architect vs Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Penelope Architect and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Architect | Woodford Reserve Double Oaked |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +14 proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $70 | ~$50 – $62 ~$9 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.
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Architect Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 5/9 oak: Penelope Architect 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 9 out of 10
heat 6/4 heat: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Penelope Architect 7 out of 10, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 8 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Penelope Architect 6 out of 10, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Architect 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 3 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.
- Woodford Reserve Double Oaked: A second barrel, deeply toasted, and the result is unashamedly dessert-like. Maple and caramelised sugar with heavy wood — polarising if you want restraint, excellent if you want sweetness.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked if you want an overtly sweet, heavily oaked, dessert-leaning bourbon at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect); neat, rocks (Woodford Reserve Double Oaked).