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Penelope Rio vs Buffalo Trace
Penelope Rio and Buffalo Trace sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an old-guard, classically built classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Buffalo Trace |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) +8 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$28 – $35 ~$59 less |
- Buffalo Trace 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 Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Buffalo Trace
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Buffalo Trace
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- Penelope Rio: Penelope's four-grain blend finished in honey barrels and then amburana wood. It tastes like a cinnamon roll: honey, gingerbread and sweet baking spice.
- Buffalo Trace: The reference-point Kentucky bourbon: balanced brown sugar and vanilla sweetness, a whisper of mint, and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting. Nothing is loud, which is exactly the point at 90 proof.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with Buffalo Trace if you want the balanced, everyday Kentucky benchmark that does nothing wrong at a fair price.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Buffalo Trace).