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Penelope Rio vs Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Comparing Penelope Rio and Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year reveals a matchup between a blender-built, even-keeled bottling and an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) | 115.2 proof (57.6% ABV) +17 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$60 – $65 ~$28 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.
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/7 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
heat 5/8 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 8 out of 10
sweetness 9/7 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating 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.
- Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year: Penelope's uncut flagship, now with a seven-year age statement. It is richer and spicier than the Four Grain, with caramel and rye spice carried by a lot of proof.
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 Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year if you want a well-priced, seven-year, uncut blend with real depth and spice without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year).