Penelope Architects of Golf "Hole 6" 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 Bourbon earns my kudos for its comprehensive transparency. From the start, Penelope made no secret of the fact that MGP was the distiller. It partners with Speyside Cooperage to source casks for its various oak finishes. Penelope’s whiskeys were initially blended and bottled at Castle & Key Distillery. However, those operations had moved to Bardstown Bourbon Company. Then, in May 2022, Luxco, MGP’s consumer-facing subsidiary, purchased the brand.

 

Earlier this summer, Penelope Bourbon released its Architects of Golf series of Bourbons. I had the opportunity to review Hole 3 and found it very appealing.

 

Like the first release, this one has three expressions, aptly named Hole 4, Hole 5, and Hole 6.

 

In the first release, each Hole built on the previous one. Hole 1 started its finishing cycle with American oak staves, Hole 2 built on Hole 1, and Hole 3 built on Hole 2. Each was aged 6 years. Penelope Bourbon increased the oak-stave intensity in each subsequent batch.

 

The second release offered fewer details. I’m going to do something that I know I shouldn’t do, but I will anyway: Hole 4 is the base, Hole 5 builds on Hole 4, and Hole 6 builds on Hole 5. I’m making that leap of faith only because it makes sense; after all, why would Penelope change the formula for naming the holes?

 

Per the back of the label, here is how things stack up:

 

Hole #	1	2	3	4	5	6
Vanilla	5	4	6	3	5	4
Spice	4	4	5	2	4	3
Toast	4	5	6	4	3	5
Fruit on Palate	3	4	4	3	6	5

 

Packaged in 750ml bottles at 47% ABV (94°), each Hole carries a suggested price of $59.99.

 

Like the first series, I was offered a chance to review one of the three batches in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. I chose Hole 6 for the same reason I chose Hole 3: I assume it to be the most complex.

 

I do want to thank Penelope Bourbon for this opportunity. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover how it turned out, shall we?

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: MGP
• Age: 6 years
• Mashbill: 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then finished with American oak staves
• Alcohol Content: 47% ABV (94°)
• Price per 750mL: $59.99
• Non-chill filtered

 

Appearance: I used my trusty Glencairn glass to tee off and experience this Bourbon neat. It had a fascinating golden-amber color; the gold component was deep, and I had to take a second look at the age statement to ensure this was truly a six-year-old whiskey. A thick rim shed pencil-thin, tightly packed, creeping tears.

 

Nose: I sat patiently for 15 minutes, letting Architects of Golf breathe. Once I interacted with the aroma, I detected rich butterscotch, spearmint, graham crackers, toasted oak, and cinnamon. Inside my mouth, the air tasted of clove.

 

Palate: The first sip unveiled a gentle, almost airy texture with a punch of toasted oak. The mouthfeel surprised me; the palate shock did not. I took another sip, and this time I encountered brown sugar, graham crackers, and rye spice upfront. My mid-palate pulled caramel, spearmint, and grapefruit zest. The back featured notes of toasted oak, cinnamon, and ginger spices.

 

Finish: Flavors of ginger, toasted oak, cinnamon, brown sugar, grapefruit, and ancient leather remained on my tongue and in the back of my throat. It was mostly a soft, very dry finish, with the spice notes tingling on the tip of my tongue. Yet, the final note was a caramel kiss. The duration lasted 1:59, which I consider very long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Hole 6 drank closer to a 100° whiskey than 94°; perhaps that’s due to the bold toasted oak finish? Based on the chart Penelope Bourbon provided, I expected a more fruity palate. Yeah, grapefruit is a fruit; however, it isn’t a fruity fruit (if that makes any sense), and as I continued to imbibe, the grapefruit became more assertive.

 

For $60.00, a lot is going on with this Bourbon. It is well-balanced, characterful, and left a lasting impression on me. I do believe that Penelope Bourbon has summoned another winner, and it has me very curious about Holes 4 and 5. My Bottle rating is well-deserved. 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.