Send us Fan Mail

We disappear for a couple months, then come back with the kind of update that only makes sense to bourbon people: we moved the entire whiskey apartment. That means a new, speakeasy style space in the Chicagoland area, more room to host friends, and a bar setup we’re genuinely proud of. It also means hauling roughly 400 bottles up to a third floor with no elevator, with help from our whiskey crew. If you’re anywhere near the north suburbs of Chicago, northwest Indiana, southwest Michigan, or southeast Wisconsin, we’re saying it plainly: come by and have a pour with us.

For our first bottle back, we pour Penelope Bourbon Barrel Strength Four Grain Batch 6 (115.8 proof) and dig into why this release is a marker for the brand. We talk Penelope’s early days as blenders, the timing of big bourbon acquisitions, and how MGP’s backing could shape what’s coming next. Then we get into the tasting notes you actually care about: big sweetness up front, vanilla and caramel, a sweet corn and vanilla grain vibe, a touch of cherry, and a finish that shows cinnamon and brown sugar thanks to that rye. We also break down the four grain mash bill (corn, wheat, rye, malted barley) and why wheat can round out a barrel proof bourbon without sanding off the character.

Along the way we lock in plans for Bourbon and Beyond on Thursday, September 24 with Foo Fighters on the lineup, hope to see you there. If you like straightforward bourbon reviews, bottle value talk, and a little life mixed in, hit play and hang with us. Subscribe, share the show with a whiskey friend, and leave us a rating so more people can find the podcast.