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Penelope Rio vs Four Roses Small Batch
Penelope Rio and Four Roses Small Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, classically built blend versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Four Roses Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) +8 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$32 – $38 ~$55 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.
Four Roses Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Four Roses Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 6/7 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Four Roses Small Batch: Four Roses' yeast strains push this toward fruit and florals rather than wood. Red berry and cinnamon over a light body, with the rye showing up as brightness instead of bite.
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 Four Roses Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch).