Bourbon

What's the Difference? - Yellowstone Select Bourbon vs Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey

Photo by Yellowstone

Yellowstone Select, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Yellowstone Select is the brand's flagship product. It combines 4-year-old and 7-year-old bourbon distilled from a mash bill of 75 % corn, 13 % rye, and 12 % malted barley and bottled at 93 proof (46.5 % ABV). Yellowstone Select won a gold medal at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

  • Note - Rye spice with soft, leathered cherries

  • Palate - Smoked caramel with hints of vanilla and honey

  • Finish - Smoky oak brown sugar

Photo by Yellowstone

Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey

The Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey is not a bourbon but a 4-year-old whiskey distilled from malted barley at a single distillery. They do not disclose what style of malt(s) they use. This product is bottled at 108 proof (54 % ABV). 

  • Nose - Cereal malt and honey with a hint of peach blossom

  • Palate - Sweet medium body with notes of honey, pear, stone fruit and dates

  • Finish - Notes of oak with hints of cinnamon and English walnuts


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Glencairn & Riedel Glassware Recommendations


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What's the Difference? - Penelope Toasted Bourbon vs Penelope Toasted Rye

Penelope - The Brand

Michael Paladini founded Penelope Bourbon. He and his wife, Kerry, struggled to conceive a child, but Kerry finally became pregnant. The couple knew they would have a girl and wanted to name her Penelope. Mike wanted to create a bourbon brand to celebrate this moment every day. Partnering with his lifelong friend Danny Polise, he sourced the spirit from MGP (Midwest Grain Products), now called Ross & Squibb, in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. They chose a unique blend of three bourbon mash bills to set the brand apart from other MGP products. The brand began with the four-grain, white label, which is still the brand's flagship product. Penelope was later acquired by the Luxco & MGP parent company, which will give the brand access to older barrels and also elevate production. Items that may have been extremely limited in the past should have more volume across the board. Mike will still be very involved in innovations, and Danny will maintain his position as master blender.

Penelope Toasted Bourbon, Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Toasted Series is distilled at the Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, from a mash bill of 75 % corn, 21 % rye, and 4 % malted barley. Unlike the Four Grain and Barrel Strength, this mash bill is not a blend. The bourbon is aged 5 years in a charred new American Oak barrel and finished in a second new American Oak toasted barrel. The char level of the first barrel can range from # 1 to # 5, and the toast level of the second barrel can be light, medium, or heavy, depending on the batch. This product is non-chill filtered and bottled in small batches at 100 proof (50 % ABV). Charring a barrel is similar to flame-throwing the wood while toasting is more similar to holding a lighter to the wood. The comparison that is often used is toasting bread in a toaster. The Toasted won a gold medal in 2022 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).

  • Aroma - Rich caramel & vanilla

  • Body - Bold on the palate with notes of marshmallow &vanilla

  • Finish - Long savory finish that leaves a nice hug

Penelope Toasted Rye, Straight Rye Whiskey

The Toasted Rye is also distilled at the Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, from a mash bill of 95 % rye and 5 % malted barley. Like the Toasted Bourbon label, this mash bill is not a blend. The rye whiskey is aged 6 years in charred new American Oak barrels and finished in new, freshly toasted barrels. My bottle (batch # 24-504) received a # 2 char and a heavy toast. This product is non-chill filtered and bottled in small batches at 100 proof (50 % ABV). The Toasted Rye won a double gold medal in 2024  at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).

  • Aroma - Decadent on the nose with bold sweet caramel and hints of mint

  • Body - Vanilla, toasted marshmallow, hints of light tobacco and fruit

  • Finish - Long finish, sweet desert character, orange peel with a subtle spice note


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Affiliate Disclosure

The links for product recommendations in this post are affiliate links. At zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. This helps support this website so that I can continue to bring you new content.

Please Drink Responsibly.