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Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Put Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year next to Old Grand-Dad Bonded and you have an uncut, high-rye heavyweight set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years +3 yr | 4 years |
| Proof | 115.2 proof (57.6% ABV) +15 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$60 – $65 | ~$24 – $30 ~$36 less |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded does not publish an official mash bill.
- 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 Grand-Dad Bonded
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Flavor Profile
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
heat 8/6 heat: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 8 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
spice 7/8 spice: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- 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 Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
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 an older age statement and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).