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Penelope Toasted Series vs New Riff Single Barrel
Penelope Toasted Series and New Riff Single Barrel are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is proof (100 vs. 105).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Toasted Series | New Riff Single Barrel |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 105 proof (52.5% ABV) +5 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$55 – $70 |
- 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.
New Riff Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Toasted Series New Riff Single Barrel
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/9 spice: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 9 out of 10
sweetness 7/4 sweetness: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 4 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 7 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 6 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Toasted Series 3 out of 10, New Riff Single Barrel 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- New Riff Single Barrel: The single-barrel expression of New Riff's 30% rye mash, non-chill-filtered and at higher proof than the bonded version. As dry and peppery as bourbon gets before it stops being bourbon.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Penelope Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish.
- Go with New Riff Single Barrel if you want the most aggressively spice-driven bourbon in this list, with single-barrel variation on top.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series); neat, old-fashioned (New Riff Single Barrel).