Compare
Penelope Rio vs W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Comparing Penelope Rio and W.L. Weller Special Reserve reveals a matchup between a sourced, even-keeled blend and a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | W.L. Weller Special Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No age statement |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) +8 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$30 – $60 ~$45 less |
| Availability | Limited easier to find | Allocated |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve 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 Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 6/2 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10
sweetness 9/7 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10
oak 4/4 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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 Special Reserve: The entry point to the Weller line and an easy introduction to wheated bourbon. Soft honey and vanilla with almost no rye bite, a bread-dough body, and a short, sweet finish that asks nothing of you.
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 and without hunting for it.
- Go with W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve).