PENELOPE CIGAR SERIES CHAPTER 1
USA
Penelope Bourbon has really outdone themselves with Cigar Series Chapter 1, creating one of the most complexly satisfying drinking experiences under $100 we've encountered this year.
The team built this one for cigar aficionados, and undoubtedly that’s a great way to experience it, but let it just be said: this is a masterclass in boundary-breaking blending that stands magnificently on its own.
Among spirits geeks and mixologists, Penelope has developed a considerable reputation for being adventurous craftsmen with meticulous attention to detail and a penchant for daring experimentation — their small-batch, limited-edition American Light Whiskey expressions are particularly coveted rarities.
This one, though, is, truly, like nothing else.
It’s an audacious marriage of straight bourbon, 100% American single malt, and American light whiskey — three distinct categories that, when united through expert blending, and produced in small, careful batches, create something greater than the sum of their parts.
The 72% corn, 15% rye, and 13% malt mashbill delivers a structural foundation that supports layer upon layer of flavor without ever feeling overwrought or unbalanced. At 101 proof and aged six years, it offers substantial weight and maturity without straying into the overpowering.
The aroma opens with bold, irresistible notes of milk chocolate and vanilla before segueing smoothly into some nice, bright hints of candied apple. On the palate, you’ll find a lot of complexity, but also a good deal of control: chocolate and warm caramel provide the bass notes while dried peach and tobacco offer mid-palate intrigue and dimension. The finish unfolds with remarkable patience — toffee and dark fruit giving way to light oak that lingers just long enough to have you contemplating the next sip.
We’re fortunate to have secured a modest allocation, and are urging you to move quickly to snap up a bottle, or, better yet, bottles. Whiskey this thoughtfully crafted, after all, doesn't remain on shelves for long — especially at a price that makes you feel like you've gotten away with something.