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Woodford Reserve Double Oaked vs Penelope Architect
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and Penelope Architect sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Woodford Reserve Double Oaked | Penelope Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +14 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$50 – $62 ~$9 less | ~$60 – $70 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Architect
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Penelope Architect
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 9/5 oak: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 9 out of 10, Penelope Architect 5 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 7 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked 3 out of 10, Penelope Architect 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Woodford Reserve Double Oaked: A second barrel, deeply toasted, and the result is unashamedly dessert-like. Maple and caramelised sugar with heavy wood — polarising if you want restraint, excellent if you want sweetness.
- Penelope Architect: Penelope's four-grain blend finished with French oak staves chosen for their tannin. The French oak adds berry, cherry and warm spice to a vanilla-heavy base.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked if you want an overtly sweet, heavily oaked, dessert-leaning bourbon at a slightly lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Woodford Reserve Double Oaked); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect).