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Please read and drink responsibly.
Classification: Blend of Straight Bourbons
Company: Sempreon
Distillery: Sempreon and an undisclosed Kentucky distillery(ies)
Release Date: October 2026
Proof: 102.2
Age: 10 Years
Mashbill: 74% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley, 1% Wheat (Derived from the blend)
Color: Yellow Gold
SRP: $80 / 750mL (2026)
Toasted marshmallow | Werther's Original candy | Faint corn syrup | Toasted oak | Peach bread | Light vanilla
Toasted oak | Rye spice | Baking spices | Light mixed dried fruit | Cherry pie filling | White peppercorn
Weathered oak | Rye spice | Light dried peach ring | White peppercorn | Cinnamon powder | Lingering faint summer fruit
Focusing on drinkability above all else, this year’s edition of Penelope Estate Collection: Private Select 10 Year Bourbon delivers a bourbon that will appeal to the masses.
Now in its third year, the Penelope Estate Collection highlights the brand's aged line, as no bottle is below 10 years old. Last year saw the collection's introduction of Omega, a straight bourbon finished in Omega French oak barrels. This year, the company swaps out Omega for Conundrum, a high aged rye offering, and is, in fact, the highest straight rye released by Penelope to date. Like previous releases, Private Select is a blend of 10 year old bourbons from Sempreon (formerly MGP) that is presented at a reasonable price point.
For this year’s Private Select 10 Year Bourbon, it's clear that Penelope targeted drinkability. The bourbon opens with an aroma built around toasted marshmallow, followed by various sweet scents and a dab of toasted oak. The toasted oak note carries over to the midpoint and is joined by various spices, along with a fruit focus of mixed dried fruit and cherry pie filling. The finish is on the shorter side for a 10 year bourbon, with weathered oak, rye spice, and a light dried peach ring mingling together. White peppercorn and cinnamon powder make a brief appearance before a faint lingering summer fruit note appears to end things.
Like last year’s release, this year’s release’s flavors remain light and accessible. While the bourbon comes in slightly lower than last year, it doesn’t carry quite the same oomph. The resulting flavors are pleasing, though not deep, and it seems that Penelope focused on widespread drinkability that bourbon lovers, new and old, will be able to enjoy. That drinkability comes at a cost, however, as the bourbon is good, yet struggles to truly stand out in any given area of its sip. Offset this with a reasonable price tag for a 10 year old four grain bourbon, and the end result is a bourbon that will please those who try it, yet at the same time not stand out in the current crowded bourbon market.
The bourbon in review is from Batch 26-201.
