2026 Penelope Estate Collection: Private Select Bourbon Review

 

Two childhood friends, Mike Paladini and Daniel Polise, along with Mike’s wife, Kerry, started a business together and created their own Bourbon brand. Mike and Kerry were expecting a child and knew they wanted to name their daughter Penelope. That inspired them to name their brand Penelope Bourbon.

 

Penelope recently released its 2026 Estate Collection, marketed as its premium line of whiskeys. It includes Founder’s Reserve, Private Select, and two Single Barrel offerings. New for this year is Conundrum, a 12-year-old Straight Rye and the oldest released from the brand.  

 

Today, we’ll explore Private Select, a blend of 10-year-old Bourbons distilled in Indiana and Kentucky. The Indiana component is MGP. The Kentucky portion is likely Bardstown Bourbon Company, its regular partner distillery. The 2026 release is made from a similar mashbill as previous incarnations: 74% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley, and 1% wheat. Packaged at 50.6% ABV (101.2°), a 750ml has a suggested price of $79.99.

 

Penelope Bourbon provided me with a sample of Private Select in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and taste how it fares.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: MGP
• Age: 10 years
• Mashbill: 74% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley, 1% wheat
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 51.1% ABV (102.2°)
• Price per 750mL: $79.95
• Non-chill filtered

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. For a 10-year-old, higher-proofed Bourbon, the softness of its color seemed surprising. It was a deep orange amber. A thin rim formed thick, crazed tears that quickly dropped back into the pool.

 

Nose: I waited 15 minutes before engaging with the aroma. During my nosing, a strong wave of toffee and brown sugar hit my olfactory sense. I continued sniffing and discerned oak, chocolate, and custard. I inhaled the vapor through my lips and tasted milk chocolate.

 

Palate: As I took my first sip, I encountered an airy texture with a shock of chocolate pudding. The second revealed notes of vanilla, chocolate pudding, and honey on the front palate. As the Bourbon crossed my mid-palate, I discovered cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Flavors of toasted oak, dates, and hazelnuts were on the back of my palate.

 

Finish: Hazelnuts and toasted oak tangoed across my tongue and down my throat while brown sugar, nutmeg, honey, and milk chocolate played supporting roles. The finish was evenly intense, with no waves or troughs, and lasted 1:12, placing it on the longer side of medium.   

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: At 102.2°, the 2026 Private Select Bourbon went down a bit too easily. It was flavorful without alcohol burn. Were I to guess, I’d put it about 7 or so points lower. It is likely the barley versus the wheat that led to the soft mouthfeel; at 1% the wheat would have minimal impact. I’m still trying to figure out the color. Considering how much toasted oak came through on the palate, it seems unrealistic to assume the toast or char levels were at the lighter end of the spectrum.

 

Whatever. The verdict is that Penelope 10 Year Private Select Bourbon is delightful and well worth the price of admission. Grab a Bottle if you see it on the shelf. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.