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Penelope Rio vs Woodford Reserve
Put Penelope Rio next to Woodford Reserve and you have a blender-built, corn-forward bottling set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Rio | Woodford Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Four-Grain Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 98 proof (49% ABV) +8 proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$80 – $100 | ~$35 – $42 ~$52 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.
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Rio Woodford Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 9/6 sweetness: Penelope Rio 9 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: Penelope Rio 4 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Penelope Rio 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10
spice 6/6 spice: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
fruit 6/6 fruit: Penelope Rio 6 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Rio 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 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.
- Woodford Reserve: The most widely poured premium bourbon in America, and a genuinely well-made one. Dried fruit and cocoa over a balanced 18% rye mash, finished smooth enough to please almost anyone.
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.
- Go with Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve).