The Last Call

    Every now and then, a bottle appears where you least expect it, and this was one of those moments. While wandering through a Belmont Beverage in Northern Indiana, I stumbled upon a bottle of  Penelope Private Select 10-Year  sitting quietly on the shelf at SRP. For a release that’s usually hunted down or heavily marked up, this felt like striking gold. Penelope has built a reputation for transparency and consistency, and under the MGP umbrella, they’ve become a powerhouse in blending and finishing. The Estate Collection bottles in particular have turned heads with their elegance and flavor depth, and this Private Select proves no different.     This year’s Estate Collection brings a notable upgrade, now carrying a  10-year age statement , up from last year’s 9-year release. It’s a blend of Indiana and Kentucky bourbons. Penelope’s transparency here is refreshing, letting enthusiasts trace exactly what’s in the bottle. Aged stocks, ca...

        Penelope has been on a roll lately, especially since settling under the MGP umbrella, and their recent limited releases have been grabbing attention for good reason. Marshmallow Toast debuted in late 2024 alongside the Cream Brûlée Architect in 2025, and each showcases Penelope’s knack for pulling highly specific flavor profiles from single barrels. I missed the excitement of batch one, but batch two found me at the right moment during my travels, and at a reasonable price. As a longtime Penelope fan and a lover of toasted bourbons, this release had me genuinely excited.      Batch one appears to have been closer to four years old, making batch two a slight age upgrade. The whiskey is then finished in heavily charred No. 3 casks, designed to coax out toasted sweetness, vanilla creaminess, and the “marshmallow toast” character they’re aiming for. The transparency behind this release only adds to its charm, Penelope lets you know exactly how...