Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Review – Classic Series

Penelope Bourbon
Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey
Classic Series
92 Proof
SRP: $34.99
Review

Please enjoy our Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Review by Ed and Dean!

Background – Penelope Classic Series Straight Rye Whiskey Review

Over the past eight years, Penelope has built its reputation through experimentation, blending, and innovation. In June 2026, Penelope launched its Classic Series with Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Straight Rye Whiskey, two foundational whiskeys designed for everyday drinking occasions.

Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey is distilled in Indiana from a mash bill of 93% rye and 7% malted barley. It is bottled at 92 proof and was released alongside the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey as part of the Penelope Classic Series.

Details – Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Classic Series Review

• Brand: Penelope Bourbon
• Series: Classic Series
• Type: Straight Rye Whiskey
• Distilled In: Indiana
• Distillery: Not disclosed
• Mash Bill: 93% rye and 7% malted barley
• Proof: 92
• SRP: $34.99 / 750 mL
• Released: June 2026

Tasting Notes – Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Classic Series Review

Let’s taste it:

Dean:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes

👉🏻 Nose: Dill, spearmint, grass, rye grain, and a little oak.
👉🏻 Taste: Tangerine, honey, mint, and faint coffee. Medium-to-lighter bodied.
👉🏻 Finish: Spearmint, traditional rye spices, oak, and malt.

Ed:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes

👉🏻 Nose: Mild sweetness, honey, tangerine, sweet dried apricots, cloves, dark plums, and hints of spearmint.
👉🏻 Taste: Mild simple-syrup sweetness, caramel, cloves, and orange citrus. Medium-to-lighter bodied.
👉🏻 Finish: Citrus, honey, cloves, and capsaicin-like spice, followed by some wood. Progressively drier and moderately long.

Dean’s Analysis: Dill, Mint & Rye Spice

The nose of Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey is a minty, dilly bomb, with dill, mint, grass, rye grain, and a little oak. The dill and mint are particularly noticeable.

On the palate, tangerine and honey are accompanied by mint and faint coffee. Unlike the mint, neither the tangerine nor honey was noticeable in the nose. The faint coffee is interesting and works well with the other flavors. The mouthfeel is medium-to-lighter bodied.

The mint continues into the finish, along with traditional rye spices. Oak and malt appear toward the end. Malt is not a flavor I often find in rye whiskey, although this rye’s mash bill does contain 7% malted barley.

The nose and palate are closer in intensity than they were with the Penelope Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, where the palate was surprisingly light. Overall, Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey is bright, very easy to drink, and a rye I like quite a bit.

Ed’s Analysis: Honey, Tangerine & Cloves

The nose is mildly sweet, with honey, tangerine, sweet dried apricots, and cloves. After becoming accustomed to the other flavors, dark stone fruits like plums appear in the background. Hints of spearmint also become more evident with time.

The palate has a mild simple-syrup sweetness, along with caramel, rye spices, primarily cloves, and orange citrus. As with the Penelope Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the rye is medium-to-lighter bodied. The flavors in the nose are somewhat fuller than those in the palate, although the difference is less pronounced than it was with the bourbon.

The citrus lingers into the finish, and the honey returns. The mouthfeel becomes progressively drier, with a spice that is difficult to define, which I would best describe as a capsaicin-like spice. The finish is moderately long, with some wood appearing toward the end. Interestingly, the spice, cloves, sweetness, and citrus all remain noticeable throughout, rather than gradually fading away.

Our Summary: Different Noses, Similar Impressions – Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Classic Series Review

Dean and I found noticeably different profiles in the nose of Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey. Dean’s leaned more toward dill, mint, grass, rye grain, and oak, while mine included honey, tangerine, dried apricots, cloves, dark plums, and spearmint.

We were more aligned on the palate, where we both found honey, citrus, and rye spices. Also, Dean picked up some of the flavors that I had found in the nose, such as honey and tangerines. We also agreed that the difference in intensity between the nose and palate was much less pronounced than it had been with the Penelope Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

In the finish, Dean continued to find mint and traditional rye spices, followed by oak and malt. For me, citrus, honey, cloves, and spice lingered, with some wood appearing later. Although the specific flavors differed, we both found that the finish held onto them longer than expected.

Penelope Classic Series Straight Rye Is a Bright and Easy-Drinking Rye

At 92 proof, Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey is very easy to drink. It has bright flavors, a medium-to-lighter body, and a finish that lasts longer than expected.

Dean is a big rye fan, and this was his favorite of the two Penelope Classic Series whiskeys. I also enjoyed it quite a bit. Overall, Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey is a very good everyday rye and a nice addition to the Penelope lineup.

Have you tried the Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Penelope Straight Rye Whiskey Review by Ed and Dean! Next, read these related reviews: Penelope Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review – Classic Series, Penelope Tokaji Cask Finish Rye Review and Penelope Architect Bourbon Review.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for our review. We appreciate it!

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