Penelope Estate Collection 10 Year Old "Ten Year Tail Wag" Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Penelope’s Estate Collection is the Dallas-based brand’s showcase for its older stocks, and the 10 Year Single Barrel is its centerpiece: each barrel, in the label’s words, “unique in profile, is hand selected from various warehouses and floors after a decade of aging,” to uncover “the character that lies within our finest aged stocks.” Penelope distills at MGP in Indiana, and the Estate Collection takes the best of those aged barrels as single-barrel releases instead of blending them away.

This is a Blackwell's Pick, a single barrel chosen as the “Ten Year Tail Wag” pick: barrel PEN26-350, filled on July 10, 2015, from warehouse and floor E/B. It uses Penelope’s high-rye mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley, which is the more spice-forward of the two Estate Collection recipes (the other is 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley). It’s non-chill filtered and bottled at barrel strength, 110 proof (55% ABV), noticeably higher than the 98 to 105 proof of the brand’s standard 10 Year Single Barrel releases.

This barrel’s own tasting notes aren’t published, but the 60/36/4 Estate Single Barrel has a recognizable house style. Reviewers of the mash bill find “rich caramel and vanilla, underscored by classic, grassy rye notes” on the nose, and on the palate “very rich and forward vanilla,” “juicy fruit gum notes,” and “warm baking spices and some nice, drying oak in the background,” concluding that it “highlights what gentle warehouse aging can do to a high-rye mashbill.” Bourbon Awareness found “butterscotch, cherries, strawberries, rye spice, and oak,” with “ground cinnamon and floral black pepper notes with a touch of honey, vanilla, and clove,” and “rye spice, dark fruit, cinnamon, black pepper, and hazelnuts” in the middle, calling it “bold and complex but nicely balanced... not what I expected from this super high rye mashbill.” A retailer’s notes for the 10 Year Single Barrel: “rich caramel, butter toffee, vanilla custard, cherry pie, baking spice, light rye kick, subtle oak char; thick, oily mouthfeel; long, warm finish with lingering cinnamon, dried cherry, marshmallow, toasted nuts.” Whiskey Consensus rated one barrel (PEN24-81) 8.96 out of 10. Every barrel differs, so treat these as the family style, not a promise.

At 110 proof, this is a fuller, richer, spicier pour than the usual Penelope single barrel, with a decade of age and a high-rye backbone. It’s a bourbon for rye-leaning drinkers, and for barrel-pick fans who want a single, specific cask. Enjoy it neat first, then with a few drops of water, or in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, where the rye spice cuts through.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Penelope Estate Collection 10 Year Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey is selected by Penelope Bourbon from straight bourbon distilled at MGP in Indiana, aged 10 years in new charred American oak. Barrel PEN26-350, filled 7/10/2015, warehouse/floor E/B. Mash bill: 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley. Non-chill filtered. Bottled at 55% ABV / 110 proof, 750ml. A private barrel selection, “Ten Year Tail Wag.”

Tasting Profile

House-style profile for the 60/36/4 Estate Single Barrel; to be refined with notes from this barrel.

Nose
Rich caramel and vanilla, with butterscotch, cherry, red berries, cinnamon, rye spice, and oak.

Palate
Thick and oily, with caramel, butter toffee, vanilla custard, cherry pie, baking spice, a light rye kick, and a touch of oak char.

Finish
Long and warm, with cinnamon, dried cherry, toasted nuts, and gentle spice.

Quick Overview

Cocktail & Serving Suggestions

Neat, then with a few drops of water — to open the cherry and spice.

Old Fashioned or Manhattan — a rich, high-rye base that holds up to bitters and vermouth.

Food Pairings

• Cherry pie and baked fruit desserts
• Smoked ribs and barbecue
• Aged cheddar
• Dark chocolate and toasted nuts