Launched in 2023, Penelope Rio is a unique double-barrel finished straight bourbon aged for at least four years before being finished first in honey barrels and then in virgin Amburana barrels. Native to Brazil, Amburana has very strong cinnamon notes and Penelope has adjusted the length of the finishing time in those barrels from batch to batch in an attempt to balance out the array of very prominent flavors.
Bottled at 98 proof (49% ABV) and non-chill filtered, the 2026 Rio batch is made from a mash bill of 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye, and 3% malted barley, the same as the brand’s Wheated bourbon.
Immediately opening the bottle, the aromas wafting out immediately reminded me of walking into a Cinnabon – fresh cinnamon buns drizzled with white vanilla-sugar frosting. Harvest Gold in the glass, what hits me immediately after aerating for an hour in the glass covered with a 3×5 notecard are strong aromas of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, cinnamon-sprinkled graham crackers/Teddy Grahams, Greek baklava (heavier baklava drenched in honey rather than the more delicate, lighter, & more sophisticated notes I get from Levantine and Turkish baklava), honeyed oranges, and an earthy funkiness that I was not expecting which reminds me of walking on a farm.
The palate starts off with strong raw honey and honeycomb mixed with prominent and very perfumy floral notes followed by deep cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, the Greek baklava from the nose, candied oranges, and a finish that’s a mix of moderate rye spice, black pepper, and mild toasted oak and oak tannins.
Rio is both incredibly sweet but also earthily funky – that earthy funk balances out, somewhat, the sweetness, though a small pour of this at a time is more than enough for me. Before this week I last saw a bottle of Rio (the 25-901 batch) literally 12 months ago and passed on it for an Old Forester 1924, never seeing it again until this past week. I’m very glad to have a bottle of the 26-901 batch because this is, without a doubt, the most unique bourbon and, indeed, the most unique whisky that I’ve yet had over the past two years since I’ve seriously dived into spirits after nearly two decades away from all alcohol. I look forward to seeing how this bottle evolves as it aerates and comparing it with a private batch pick finished only in honey barrels and not Amburana.
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