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Penelope Toasted Series vs Ancient Age
Penelope Toasted Series and Ancient Age sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a sourced, rye-forward blend versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Toasted Series | Ancient Age |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +20 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$14 – $18 ~$47 less |
- Ancient Age 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 Toasted Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Toasted Series Ancient Age
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 7/3 oak: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Ancient Age 3 out of 10
heat 5/2 heat: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Ancient Age 2 out of 10
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Ancient Age 5 out of 10
spice 5/4 spice: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Penelope Toasted Series 3 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
fruit 4/4 fruit: Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Barrel influence is the main separator.
- Penelope Toasted Series: Finished in a second, freshly toasted barrel, which pushes it toward toffee, roasted coffee and darker oak. The toast level changes from batch to batch.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Penelope Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish with more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series); cocktails, highball (Ancient Age).