This is a Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in rosé wine cask, a limited edition. 47% vol.
I have reviewed this wonderful bourbon here https://wineinamerica.wordpress.com/2019/03/27/penelope-bourbon-four-grain-straight-bourbon-whiskey/ and here https://wineinamerica.wordpress.com/2019/09/02/penelope-bourbon-four-grain-straight-bourbon-whiskey-batch-2/ and explained the genesis of this relatively new comer in the bourbon scene here https://wineinamerica.wordpress.com/2019/03/14/supporting-local-businesses-penelope-bourbon-tasting-at-my-local-wine-store-stirling-fine-wines-in-stirling-nj/
Last year they came up with a fine variation of their bourbon, finished in French Côtes du Rhone rosé wine cask. As it happens, my favorite wine is a rosé from the Côtes du Rhone, the Tavel (read here https://wineinamerica.wordpress.com/tag/tavel/ also if you are interested in those royal wines). I don’t know if they used a Tavel cask or a generic Côtes du Rhone rosé cask but in any case I couldn’t pass, furthermore when I enjoy so much their regular bourbon.
Nose : it smells delicious. Vanilla, caramel (the regular bourbon smell) then fruity at the same time (rosé like smell). Strawberry and other red berries. The conjunction of the two makes a very interesting nose.
In mouth : same feeling of both bourbon and rosé wine, the fruity side is more prominent at first (strawberry and raspberry).
The middle mouth is more on the caramel side than vanilla.
Very strong too (47% vol), it is much stronger than the regular (40% vol ) and it feels stronger too.
A slight bitterness then raspberry as a finale.
After the tasting that I had dry, I added some ice cubes to dilute it a bit and lower the alcohol fire to actually drink it.
This is a very interesting variation with a twist and really a treat.
The lasting impression is on the candied side of the red fruits and red summer fruits, mainly raspberry.
I did that tasting at the end of last year (2020) but I revisited it just before publishing it these days and found the same raspberry tone along the caramel and vanilla and enjoyed it with the same pleasure.
I can’t wait to experiment one they would finish or age in some port wine casks.
Wine in America 