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Penelope Rio vs Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Comparing Penelope Rio and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select reveals a matchup between a blender-built, even-keeled bottling and a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey |
| Mash Bill | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) +4 proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$45 – $55 ~$40 less |
- 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.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 6 out of 10
oak 4/7 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 7 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10
spice 6/5 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 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.
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select: Barrels pulled from the top of the rickhouse, where the temperature swings are hardest, and it shows as considerably more oak than any standard Jack. A genuinely different proposition from the black label.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll.
- Go with Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select if you want a distinctly oakier, more concentrated Tennessee whiskey with barrel-to-barrel character at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select).