From Bridgerton to Brunch: Meet Penelope Bourbon

Jun 16

Penelope Bourbon Begins – Four Grain vs Wheated Showdown

Welcome to another pour-filled episode of Tortured Bourbon! This time, we’re cracking open the first bottle in a three-part journey through one of the fastest-rising stars in the bourbon world: Penelope Bourbon. Founded in 2018, this brand may be young, but it’s turning heads faster than B in a liquor store with an unclaimed drop.

In today’s episode, Heather and B square off the Penelope Four Grain vs the Penelope Wheated Bourbon to find out which core expression deserves a permanent spot on your shelf. Whether you’re a brunch sipper or a wheated whiskey warrior, this episode dives into tasting notes, brand history, and a little bit of generational trauma wrapped in comedy.

🥃 Meet Penelope: The Brand

Launched by childhood friends Mike Paladini and Danny Polise, Penelope was named after Mike’s daughter—a heartfelt origin story if there ever was one. The juice itself is sourced from MGP in Indiana, but Penelope brings the artistry through blend-forward expressions. Their core lineup blends multiple mash bills to create approachable, flavorful profiles.

What sets Penelope apart?

Multi-mash bill blending (Four Grain, Wheated, etc.)
Transparent labeling and batch info
Sleek, brunch-worthy packaging

In other words: form, function, and flavor.

🥃 Four Grain: The Ensemble Cast of Bourbon

Penelope’s Four Grain Bourbon blends corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley—basically the Avengers of grain. Aged around 3–4 years, non-chill filtered, and bottled at a gentle 80 proof, it’s ideal for newcomers or casual sipping.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Vanilla frosting, honeycomb, cereal, floral lift
Palate: Soft caramel, citrus peel, marshmallow, light rye spice
Finish: Short-to-medium with soft oak, mild pepper, lingering sweetness

Pairing Ideas: Mild cheddar, grilled chicken, anything brunch-worthy.

Heather calls it the “brunch buffet” of bourbon, and B swears it’s the friendliest bottle this side of your starter kit.

🥃 Wheated: Bourbon’s Comfort Food

Penelope Wheated Bourbon takes the same structure but swaps rye for wheat—making it smoother, softer, and dangerously drinkable.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Baked bread, warm vanilla, buttered corn muffin
Palate: Creamy honey, orchard fruit (apple/pear), soft oak
Finish: Mellow, slightly dry, vanilla bean, graham cracker

Pairing Ideas: Fruit tarts, crème brûlée, light charcuterie

Heather likens it to “dessert in a glass,” while B warns it may be too polite in a world of barrel-proof beasts.

🎬 Banter, Backstory, and Bourbon Therapy

The episode starts—as always—with B and Heather’s signature back-and-forth:

Heather: “B, are we finally reviewing a bourbon named after a character from Bridgerton?”
B: “If by Bridgerton you mean ‘New Jersey,’ then yes.”

From there, it spirals into parenting commentary, social media jabs, and B’s passionate monologue on the trauma of growing up pre-cell phone. Eventually, they do get around to tasting the bourbon—promise.

🏁 Final Thoughts

Whether you’re new to bourbon or diving into the deep end, Penelope’s Four Grain and Wheated expressions are approachable, well-made, and offer two unique perspectives from the same distilling DNA. Is one better than the other? That’s what the pour’s for.

👀 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/zgVJ-OI5IXo

And don’t forget: