Penelope Bourbon Announces Rosé Cask Finish

Newish formed Penelope Bourbon (founded in 2018) has announced a bourbon finished in French rosé wine casks hitting retailers in mid-October. For those unfamiliar with Penelope (myself included), they source their bourbon from Indiana-based MGP and then blend the bourbon at Castle & Key. 

Mike Paladini, Penelope Bourbon founder states: 

Bourbon is having its moment this year, and to celebrate, we wanted to create something that was completely new to the aisle - something that would pique customer curiosity and allow fans to experience bourbon in an entirely new way. We hand-selected French Grenache rosé wine casks from the Southern Rhône region because we felt the sweetness of the Grenache really complemented Penelope's signature four grain blend.  The finishing process brings forward a distinct rosé flavor that elevates the tasting notes of our namesake bourbon. This is just the first of many limited-run bourbon releases we're planning to bring to market.

This new release comes in with a 94 proof (47% alcohol) and "boasts a unique alliance between straight bourbon whiskey and 100% Grenache Rosé, which combine to offer an unforgettable flavor profile with notes of candied fruit, caramel, and vanilla." Additionally, Penelope says this can be served at room temperature like traditional bourbon, but recommends serving chilled. 

It comes with an MSRP of $65 and will be available mid-October 2020 at online retailers, including Seelbach's, Mash&Grape, and Flaviar, and at select liquor stores nationwide. This release is capped at 2,400 bottles.

My Take

This is another example of innovative products coming to market that aren't available in Ohio due to our antiquated and ridiculous liquor laws, thus depriving the State of additional tax revenues and consumers the option to purchase based on supply and demand. Even though this is available online, Ohio law forbids spirituous liquor sales unless they are done through the Ohio Division of Liquor Control. 

In terms of this release... it's certainly interesting to throw some bourbon in a Rosé Cask to bring out unique flavors. It doesn't seem like something I would gravitate to, but the $65 price point seems fair considering the small batch size and I could definitely see this finding an audience. I haven't heard of Penelope prior to this so it'll be fun to get them on the radar and see what they come up with in the future... hopefully, that involves coming to Ohio. 

What do you think? Let me know in the comments. 

Source: Penelope Bourbon