Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. News

Penelope Bourbon releases new American Light Whiskey

Penelope Bourbon is launching a 17-year-old whiskey

Whiskey in a glass
Maksym Tymchyk 🇺🇦 / Unsplash

Penelope Bourbon was founded in 2018 and has quickly gained a loyal following while it continues to grow. Its newest release, Penelope American Light Whiskey, is part of the brand’s annual limited releases. These expressions consist of the rarest and longest-aged barrels Penelope has at its disposal.

Penelope American Light Whiskey

Penelope
Penelope

Penelope American Light Whiskey begins with a mash bill of 99% corn and 1% malted barley. It was distilled at the historic Seagram’s site in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, which is now known as Ross & Squib Distillery. It was matured for seventeen years in second-fill oak barrels before being bottled at a robust 138.8-proof.

Recommended Videos

The result (according to the brand) is a memorable whiskey that begins with a nose of butterscotch, cake batter, and cotton candy. The palate is a mix of brown sugar, vanilla bean ice cream, and orchard fruits. The finish is lingering and warming and ends with hints of light butter, waffle cones, and powdered sugar.

“This release is the result of an innovative chapter in the history of American whiskey,” Danny Polise, Penelope founder and master blender, said in a press release.

“The high corn mash bill and long aging really brings out unique character in the batch. It’s truly been a pleasure to watch this whiskey evolve with aging and be able to release this 17 year batch after our prior 13 and 15 year releases.”

 Where can I buy it?

Whiskey glass
coldsnowstorm / istock

You should remember that Penelope American Light Whiskey is available in limited quantities. You can purchase it at select retailers beginning in February for the suggested retail price of $99.99.

Christopher Osburn
Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional
The smoothest bourbons for fans new to the whiskey style
Let's take a deep dive into "smooth" bourbons
Buffalo Trace

In some whiskey circles, the word “smooth” is considered to be a bad term to describe bourbon. That’s because it’s thought to be a little too vague and doesn’t really describe the spirit at all. Obviously, its simplicity doesn’t do the whiskey style justice.

But if you ask me, there’s no better, simpler way to describe America’s “native spirit” if you’re a beginner. There are a variety of reasons why bourbon is referred to as “smooth,” and I’m not here to shame drinkers if they want to use the phrase. Especially novice drinkers who are just learning the terminology. That said, if you’re new to whiskey, there are countless smooth, gateway bourbons perfectly crafted to get you started on your corn-based journey.

Read more
These new Maker’s Mark city bottles are worth a layover
Maker's Mark's new limited-edition bottles celebrate eleven cities around the world — but they're sold only in airports.
Alcohol, Beverage, Liquor

Pretty much everyone can spot a Maker's Mark bottle across the bar. The squat shape, the red wax bleeding down the neck — you don't need to read the label.

That's why it's actually worth checking out their Artist Series, where the City Edition puts artist Alexandra Pacula's work on eleven bottles for a slew of cities: New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney, and Melbourne. Seem cool? There's a catch — it's airports only.

Read more
Nikka brings back a beloved 10-year single malt for the first time in a decade
Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old is the first age-statement release from the distillery since Japanese whisky's aged-stock crunch hit in 2015.
Whisky, bottle, label

Nikka Whisky is one of the most exciting names in Japanese whisky, so when they make a big announcement, it's almost always worth taking an interest. That's especially the case with the release of Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old, the flagship expression from its Miyagikyo Distillery — the fruit-forward, mountain-set second distillery Nikka built near Sendai, Japan, in 1969.

This release is the first age-statement Miyagikyo since 2015, and it follows the 2022 return of Yoichi Single Malt 10 Years Old, its coastal sibling. Bottled at 45% ABV, the 700ml release has a $174.99 price tag, so it's not exactly an impulse purchase — and with just 1,572 bottles available nationwide, tracking down a pour may be tough in the first place.

Read more