Penelope Straight Rye

I’d like to thank the folks at Ross & Squibb and their PR partners for sending this sample with no strings attached.

IMAGE: Close-up of a Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey bottle standing on a weathered wooden deck railing, with the gold logo and green label prominently displayed against a softly blurred backyard background on a sunny day.

Well, I told you last time that there was another bottle stuck in with the Penelope Kentucky Straight Bourbon that we were going to be talking about this week, and I am a man of my word. Tonight we are looking at the other member of the Penelope Classic Series: Penelope Straight Rye.

This rye is distilled in Indiana from a mash bill of 93% rye and 7% malted barley. I know, that subtle change from the 95%-5% rye that MGP is famous for had me wondering if there was a typo in the press release too. But the website backs it up. Unless, of course, they are both wrong. But at that point there isn’t much we can do about it. So we take their word at face value and move on. The whiskey is bottled at 92 proof and is available in select markets starting in June, with a nationwide rollout to follow. The suggested retail price is $34.99.

Let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Penelope Straight Rye

Purchase Info: This bottle was sent at no charge for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $34.99.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $2.33

Details: 46% ABV. Mash bill: 93% rye, 7% malted barley.

Nose: Caramel, spearmint, cedar, and baking spice.

Mouth: Nice mouthfeel with notes of cinnamon, spearmint, and cedar.

Finish: Warm, sweet, and on the longer side of medium length. Notes of floral honey, cinnamon, and cedar.

IMAGE: A hand-drawn smiley face denotes that I like this product.

Thoughts: This is a fantastic rye. The flavor profile reminds me a lot of a good Canadian Club release, where the spicy rye flavors are balanced with sweet and floral notes. The mouthfeel is amazing, especially for a product with no corn in the mash. We tried neat on more than one occasion and in both a Manhattan and a Sazerac. All were delicious and it worked very well in both cocktails. And the price is downright reasonable. I really like this one!

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