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Penelope Four Grain vs Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Penelope Four Grain and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an undiluted barrel-strength pour.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Four Grain | Russell’s Reserve 15 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 15 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 117.2 proof (58.6% ABV) +37 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $40 ~$290 less | ~$250 – $400 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- Penelope Four Grain and Russell’s Reserve 15 Year do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
One of my favorites.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Four Grain Russell’s Reserve 15 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 3/9 oak: Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 9 out of 10
heat 2/7 heat: Penelope Four Grain 2 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
spice 3/6 spice: Penelope Four Grain 3 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Penelope Four Grain 6 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Penelope Four Grain 5 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Penelope Four Grain 4 out of 10, Russell’s Reserve 15 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- 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.
- Russell’s Reserve 15 Year: The oldest regular Russell's Reserve, at barrel proof. Fifteen years in Camp Nelson rickhouses push it toward old oak, leather and dried fruit over the usual Turkey spice.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Penelope Four Grain if you want an easy, light, honeyed bourbon that mixes well at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
- Go with Russell’s Reserve 15 Year if you want a very old, oak-heavy Wild Turkey for slow sipping with significantly more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed highball, cocktails (Penelope Four Grain); neat (Russell’s Reserve 15 Year).