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Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year vs Old Forester 100 Proof
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year and Old Forester 100 Proof sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year | Old Forester 100 Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 115.2 proof (57.6% ABV) +15 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $65 | ~$26 – $32 ~$34 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Forester 100 Proof
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Flavor Profile
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year Old Forester 100 Proof
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 8/5 heat: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 8 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 5 out of 10
spice 7/6 spice: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 6 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 5 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 3 out of 10, Old Forester 100 Proof 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year: Penelope's uncut flagship, now with a seven-year age statement. It is richer and spicier than the Four Grain, with caramel and rye spice carried by a lot of proof.
- Old Forester 100 Proof: The bottle most people should buy from this range: the same recipe as the 86 with enough proof to actually taste it. One of the strongest arguments on the shelf for spending six dollars more.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year if you want a well-priced, seven-year, uncut blend with real depth and spice with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Old Forester 100 Proof if you want the best value in the Old Forester range and a superb old-fashioned base.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Forester 100 Proof).