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Penelope Rio vs Evan Williams Black Label
Put Penelope Rio next to Evan Williams Black Label and you have a blender-built, corn-forward bottling set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Evan Williams Black Label |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 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) +12 proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$14 – $18 ~$74 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- 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.
Evan Williams Black Label
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Evan Williams Black Label
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 6 out of 10
spice 6/4 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 4 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 3 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Evan Williams Black Label 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.
- Evan Williams Black Label: The everyday black label, and a perfectly competent well bourbon. Softer and sweeter than the bonded version, with less to say but nothing objectionable.
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 more proof behind it.
- Go with Evan Williams Black Label if you want a dependable, inexpensive mixing bourbon and nothing more complicated than that at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); cocktails, highball, rocks (Evan Williams Black Label).