Penelope Single Barrel

Penelope Single Barrel Review

Hello guys, Toni B here. The FIFA World Cup just wrapped up last weekend, and man, the tournament was wild. Spain taking the final was a crazy finish. I spent most of July right down here at the home bar I built back in February. I even had the Govee LED lights behind the shelves synced up to match the team colors for the games playing on the center TV. Nothing beat watching the matches with some friends, a massive bowl of popcorn, and a solid pour.

Today, we are looking at a bottle that really splits the community down the middle: Penelope Barrel Strength.

Some people absolutely love this brand, and others are not so big on it. This specific release is uncut and non chill filtered, sitting in the barrel for 7 years. Depending on the batch, the proof usually lands between 114 and 116. The MSRP is around $60.

Looking at the specs, you would expect some serious sweetness, spice, and a smooth profile. So, is it worth it?

On the aroma, right out of the bottle and into the Glencairn, it has a really nice color. You can smell the fruity notes right away. I made sure to stir it around a bit to see if the flavors would expand and open up.

On the taste, honestly, I was expecting a little more flavor intensity for a 7 year old bourbon. It is a little light, and a little sweet, but it just does not deliver the punch I was hoping for. There are some fruit notes in there, but they are not very intense at all.

Then there is the heat. It has some real heat to it, and that heat lingers on the finish, but it is just the heat. I was hoping for some sweetness or those fruit notes to stick around at the end, but I just did not feel them. It goes down, and you just feel the burn without the complex flavor to back it up. To me, it felt a little flat.

I can definitely understand why some traditional bourbon fans complain about the finish being too hot, even though I also see why wine fans might give Penelope a higher score for its profile.

Maybe if I left this bottle open to let the oxidation do something special, it would open up and reach that next level. But that would require weeks, and let us be real, I do not have time for that.

It is a decent bourbon, but it just did not hit those high 90s for me.

What do you guys think? Have you tried this bottle? Let me know if my score is fair down in the comments.

This is Toni B, guys, and I am out.