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Penelope Rio vs Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Penelope Rio and Smooth Ambler Old Scout sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus a sourced, rye-forward blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Smooth Ambler Old Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$40 – $50 ~$45 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.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Smooth Ambler Old Scout
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/5 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 5 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 3 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.
- Smooth Ambler Old Scout: Sourced MGP bourbon selected and bottled in West Virginia, and one of the more honest sourced brands about exactly what it is. The characteristic MGP dill-and-pepper signature, cleanly presented.
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 Smooth Ambler Old Scout if you want the classic MGP high-rye profile from a bottler that has always been upfront about sourcing at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Smooth Ambler Old Scout).