Penelope Toasted Bourbon (Char 5, Heavy Toasted)

Penelope Straight Bourbon Whiskey Toasted, char 5, toast heavy, 100 proof, batch 25-301. Tasting neat. Mahogany color and rather thin legs in the glass. Nose is grassy dry grain, char and vanilla oak, light orange citrus, and a little pepper in the far back. On the palate, char and oak smoke, tannic leather, and then sweet burnt sugar. Oily coating mouthfeel for those big toasted flavors. Into the finish, baking spices and spicy grass show up around that sweet char core, and grows more peppery, tingling, with a hint of bitter orange peel over time. A good long finish. An ice cube calms the tannic core and enhances the sweetness and hint of orange without totally hiding the char and toasted oak finish. This is the toasted or double barrel profile, and you either like it or find it over-cooked. I like the charred wood flavors that hold the bourbon sweetness in check. A little tannic, but you have the option to add an ice cube and change that feature. I like the choice. Will revisit this and think about it... maybe in a Manhattan where it will play off the sweet vermouth. Or an Old Fashioned with more character, less sweet.

Vibrant brass color, legs are few and form very slowly. Nose immediately reveals that layer of toasted oak common to other toasted barrel bourbons that I've had. There's a fresh, malty grain character here that almost borders on grassy or vegetal. Cornflakes and cracker Jack in there, too. Immediately soft and full, the sweetness that emerges comes through a bit of heat created by the combination of spice and proof. The sweetness lingers, and is balanced after the heat passes by dry oak and a waft of baker's chocolate. After nosing again a clove studded orange comes to mind. There's quite a bit going on in here, and thats nice. Its a little dry and a little rough around the edges. It is a solid value at $60, ill say that for sure.

Light aroma but sweet. Initially hit with a younger grainy note. Then comes some corn bread, wheaties, and burnt marshmallows. No fruit or citrus at all. Not a ton of spice either. Its good but didnt live up to the hype for me, the first time thats happened with the Penelope line.

This stuff has really grown on me. I wasnt overly impressed after my first tasting but quickly grew to appreciate the toast. Its unlike anything I have had but love anything Penelope I can get my hands on. With MPG buying the brand, I hope to eventually see it on shelves in VA.

Very sweet and smooth. The char 5 is even sweeter than the char 1! Vanilla flavor lingers nicely. One of my top 5!

Its a solid pour. The nose has a funk to it. I perfer EC toasted over this but its not a bad buy.