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Penelope Rio vs Old Grand-Dad 114
Penelope Rio and Old Grand-Dad 114 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Old Grand-Dad 114 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) | 114 proof (57% ABV) +16 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$28 – $35 ~$59 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Old Grand-Dad 114 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.
Old Grand-Dad 114
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Old Grand-Dad 114
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10
spice 6/9 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 9 out of 10
heat 5/8 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 8 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 6 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad 114 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.
- Old Grand-Dad 114: The best proof-per-dollar in American whiskey and it is not especially close. The 27% rye mash at 114 proof is loud, peppery and completely unsubtle, which is exactly why it makes such a good old-fashioned.
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 Old Grand-Dad 114 if you want maximum rye spice and proof for under thirty dollars without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad 114).