Compare
Penelope Rio vs W.L. Weller 12 Year
Penelope Rio and W.L. Weller 12 Year sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | W.L. Weller 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) +8 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $100 ~$35 less | ~$70 – $180 |
| Availability | Limited easier to find | Allocated |
- W.L. Weller 12 Year 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.
W.L. Weller 12 Year
No notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio W.L. Weller 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/2 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10
oak 4/7 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 9/8 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 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.
- W.L. Weller 12 Year: Twelve years on a wheated mash at a modest 90 proof, which is the combination that made this bottle famous. Deep caramel and baked fruit with polished rather than aggressive oak — the closest widely-discussed analogue to the Pappy profile.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll at a significantly lower price point and with slightly more proof behind it.
- Go with W.L. Weller 12 Year if you want age and elegance on a wheated mash, and you are willing to chase it.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year).