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Penelope Four Grain vs New Riff Single Barrel
Put Penelope Four Grain next to New Riff Single Barrel and you have a sourced, corn-forward blend set against a contemporary, high-rye craft build.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Four Grain | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +25 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $40 ~$28 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Penelope Four Grain 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 Four Grain
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Four Grain New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/9 spice: Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
heat 2/7 heat: Penelope Four Grain 2 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
oak 3/6 oak: Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/4 sweetness: Penelope Four Grain 6 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Penelope Four Grain 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Penelope Four Grain 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Penelope Four Grain: A light, low-proof blend of corn, wheat, rye and barley. Honey, almond and orchard fruit keep it sweet and easy, though it reads young and thin when sipped neat.
- 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 Four Grain if you want an easy, light, honeyed bourbon that mixes well at a lower price point.
- Go with New Riff Single Barrel if you want the most aggressively spice-driven bourbon in this list, with single-barrel variation on top with significantly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed highball, cocktails (Penelope Four Grain); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).