Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon (Batch 6)

Received a free sample and having no prior experience with this brand, I was curious to see how it would turn out. Nose: Light milk chocolate, very potent. It's difficult to explore this scent fully due to its intensity, brown sugar notes are present. The aroma is challenging to assess because it's so intense. Palate: Nutty. Finish: A strong nutty finish. I'm not a big fan of nutty finishes, and this one is particularly strong. It's actually quite lingering, and I wish it would end! Mildly intense. This burns much stronger than its stated proof. For $50? I'll pass. It's too young for my preference, burns intensely, and simply isn't enjoyable. I'd rather select something else from the shelf. I noticed this costs around $65 and I can't fathom spending that much on it. I wouldn't even consider half that price. I'd opt for a $20-30 bottle and get much more value from it than this.

Consumed neat from a sample. The aroma is harsh. Much too harsh. It takes significant effort to reach the flavor, which strongly resembles a MGP Light Whiskey. Honey, caramel/butterscotch, graham cracker notes are present. The texture is thick, appearing darker at first than anticipated. Brown sugar is noticeable. It transitions to peanut brittle in the middle of the palate. Butterscotch, honey, and graham cracker notes are in the finish. The finish also has an unusual bitterness. Young MGP can be undesirable. They managed the blending and masked the youth well. However, the blend is extremely harsh. It's one of the hottest whiskeys I've encountered recently. While there are some decent flavors, they aren't worth the effort to find them. Too many other excellent MGP options are available to recommend this.

Nose: Almond pound cake. Buttery and nutty. Taste: Creamy texture, vanilla, a slight rye spice or perhaps some bite from the alcohol content, but this fades as you drink more. Finish: Thin and brief, but not disappointing. Impressions: The initial taste was surprising. For an unknown reason, it had a distinct flavor different from what I anticipated from a bourbon (compared to rye or just a whiskey label). But I found myself returning to it and quickly finished the glass trying to identify the taste.

There's not much new to say. Adding a little water softened the entire profile, revealing more character. It also holds up well with ice. Update - After letting this sit post-first pour, my appreciation has significantly increased. My rating went from a 3 to a 4. It seems sweeter, and the conclusion is somewhat more polished.

Cost $70. Many other bourbons with more flavor are half the price. This is part of the issue with these newer boutique bourbons. I'm not happy with the cost for the lack of consistency. It burns when drinking. Not awful, but I wouldn't purchase it again and would be wary of any Penelope products after this.

The initial smell presents strong spicy citrus notes with a smoky barrel finish. The first sip is spicy from the grain bill with smooth caramel and orange notes, leaving a spicy tobacco taste at the end.