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Penelope Toasted Series vs Woodford Reserve
Comparing Penelope Toasted Series and Woodford Reserve is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$55 – $70 vs. ~$35 – $42).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Toasted Series | Woodford Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$35 – $42 ~$24 less |
- 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.
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Toasted Series Woodford Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 4/6 fruit: Penelope Toasted Series 4 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: Penelope Toasted Series 7 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Penelope Toasted Series 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Toasted Series 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The fruit-versus-grain contrast drives this one.
- 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.
- 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 Toasted Series if you want a toasty, coffee-and-toffee bourbon from a second-barrel finish with slightly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Toasted Series); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve).