Compare
Penelope Rio vs Larceny Small Batch
Comparing Penelope Rio and Larceny Small Batch reveals a matchup between a blender-built, even-keeled bottling and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Larceny Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) +6 proof | 92 proof (46% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$25 – $32 ~$62 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.
Larceny Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Larceny Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/2 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 2 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
sweetness 9/8 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 8 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 5 out of 10
oak 4/4 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- Larceny Small Batch: Heaven Hill's everyday wheater and the most affordable way into the style. Soft honey and butterscotch with almost no spice, and a texture that makes the low price hard to argue with.
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 Larceny Small Batch if you want an easy, sweet, genuinely inexpensive wheated bourbon at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, rocks, cocktails (Larceny Small Batch).