I’d like to thank ByrnePR and Penelope Bourbon for providing this review sample with no strings attached.
Her name is Rio, and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines, she really shows you all she can
Oh, Rio, Rio, dance across the Rio Grande
—Chorus to Rio by Duran Duran, 1982
I am highly suggestable to earworms. It can take as little as two words out of a 1980s sitcom theme song to have me singing it for the next two weeks. And for some reason, the more annoyed I would be by the song, the easier it seems to lodge itself in my brain. I sometimes even get two earworms competing in my brain and I hear first one and then the other.
I really hate earworms. My wife thinks it is funny to trigger them in me. Thank goodness she has other, more redeeming qualities.
As you might guess from the fact that I placed the chorus at the beginning of the post, Rio by Duran Duran has been lodged in my brain all week. It’s not that I particularly dislike the song (or at least I didn’t pre-earworm), but I have been looking at this bottle for the better part of a month, so it was bound to happen. So, to not give the song any more oxygen, let’s move on to the whiskey.
Rio is the latest release in Penelope Bourbon’s Cooper Series. We looked at another a couple of months ago when we looked at the Tokaji Cask Finish Rye. Similar to that, this is a non-chill filtered and barrel-finished whiskey. In this case, it used Penelope’s blended four-grain mash bill of 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye, and 3% malted barley, and the bourbon was finished in two barrels. One that previously contained honey and one that was made of Amburana, a Brazilian hardwood.
Here’s what the company has to say about this edition of Rio:
“Our latest Rio release is a party in a bottle – the finishes complement each other so well, resulting in a fun and surprising mix of flavors,” said Michael Paladini, founder of Penelope Bourbon. “This year’s release delivers a dessert sweetness combined with a nice baking spice on the finish. It's a fantastic and different combination of rich and sweet, with depth.”
I have to agree. This thing is so sweet that I honestly could have been convinced it was a liqueur. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s get into the tasting notes.
Penelope Cooper Series: Rio
Purchase Info: This bottle was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $89.99 for a 750 mL bottle.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $6.00
Details: 49% ABV. Cask-finished in both honey barrels and Brazilian hardwood casks. Mash bill: 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye and 3% malted barley.
Nose: Honey forward with toffee and a savory herbal note.
Mouth: Sweet with a thick mouthfeel. Notes of honey, cinnamon, anise, and other baking spices.
Finish: Vibrant, spicy, and sweet. Notes of honey, spicy cinnamon, caramel, anise, and cocoa.
Thoughts: Very tasty, especially if you are a fan of honey like I am. To me, this is like a pre-mixed old-fashioned or a spiced baked good. Very sweet with lots of baking spice. Don't grab this if you want a stereotypical bourbon. But if you want something a bit different, I'd highly recommend this one.
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