Taste test: Penelope's first Kentucky bourbon earns bar space
In this taste test penelope8217s first Kentucky bourbon release, Robb Report critic Jonah Flicker scores the Classic Series bottle 87 and says it deserves a spot on your home bar. The $45, 92-proof straight Kentucky bourbon shifts Penelope from its usual MGP Indiana sourcing and delivers versatile classic flavors.
Key Takeaways
- Penelope’s Classic Series marks its first large-scale straight Kentucky bourbon after years of mostly Indiana MGP whiskey.
- Robb Report’s Taste Test rates the bottle 87 (“Very Good”) and recommends it for sipping or cocktails.
- The three-grain mashbill is 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, bottled at 92 proof with no age statement.
- At about $45, the pour is positioned as fairly priced versus entry-level Kentucky legacy names.
Why does Penelope’s Kentucky bourbon matter now?
Penelope Bourbon usually sources from MGP in Indiana and works with Bardstown Bourbon Company for blending and bottling. This Classic Series release is different: it is the brand’s first large-scale straight Kentucky bourbon, after at least one very limited prior release.
Founded in 2018 by New Jersey residents Mike Paladini and Danny Polise—and named for Paladini’s daughter—Penelope does not run its own distillery. MGP acquired the brand in 2023 for more than $100 million. For collectors tracking elevated lifestyle buys, see more on Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes at BlasterPost.
What did the taste test find in the glass?
According to Robb Report’s whiskey review by Jonah Flicker, the Kentucky expression swaps Penelope’s usual four-grain MGP mashbill for a classic three-grain recipe: 78 percent corn, 10 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley.
There is no age statement, so the whiskey is at least four years old and likely not much older. Flavor notes called out include vanilla, maple, honey, oak, black pepper, stone fruit, caramel, and peach. Flicker says it can compete with entry-level bottles from Jim Beam, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, or Heaven Hill.
At 92 proof, he flags it for cocktails such as an Old Fashioned or Boulevardier, and for a Manhattan when you want less spice. The Classic Series also adds an MGP-produced straight rye—another first for the brand—with a 93 percent rye and seven percent malted barley mashbill.
Where was it distilled, and is $45 a fair ask?
The brand does not name the Kentucky distillery. Flicker notes Bardstown Bourbon Company or sister distillery Green River could be sources, but says it is probably Lux Row in Bardstown, which is also under the MGP umbrella.
He calls the whiskey tasty, versatile, and fairly priced at $45 per bottle, scoring it 87 on a scale where 85–89 means “Very Good”: delicious enough to buy, but not a secondary-market chase. Penelope still offers finishes, golf-themed bottles, and older Founder’s Reserve expressions; this Classic Series Kentucky bourbon is the one he says belongs on the home bar now.