Penelope Cigar Series Chapter 1 American Whiskey 750ml

The Penelope Cigar Series Chapter 1 American Whiskey represents an exceptionally rare treasure in the whiskey community, serving as a masterclass in unconventional blending and maturation curation. Crafted by the expert curation team at Penelope Bourbon under the Luxco and MGP portfolio, the Cigar Series Chapter 1 expression is specifically engineered to elevate the ultra-premium sipping experience, offering a rich profile capable of pairing seamlessly with fine culinary indulgences. Following the global success of the brand's legendary introductory stocks, this highly anticipated limited-run release dramatically raises the stakes by introducing a rare deep-aged spirit. By shifting the concept to a commanding standalone expression from hidden regional warehouses, this limited-run bottling serves as a finite historical document of artisanal maturation innovation.

This expression showcases a meticulous marriage of straight American whiskies, balancing diverse grain characteristics with intense wood dynamics. The architecture of the liquid relies on a highly complex and sought-after three-part composite mash bill composed of 72% corn, 15% rye, and 13% malted barley, providing a naturally sweet and structurally sound foundation. Rather than a standard aging regimen, these historic stocks were distilled at the famous Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and developed in close collaboration with master cigar blenders Cynn Coburn and Lee Marsh. The final recipe relies on a precise marriage of straight bourbon whiskey (finished with medium-tannin French oak staves), 100% American single malt, and American light whiskey, letting the liquid elegantly weave into the wood properties. Unlike common mass-market expressions, this rare import is bottled at a composed 101 proof, delivering a significantly heavier and more viscous mouthfeel that blankets the tongue.

Inside the bottle is an unblended, cask-matured American whiskey with an opulent flavor profile that layers deep oak accents with sweet confectionary notes. The bouquet is remarkably expressive and aromatic, opening with a bold core of milk chocolate, warm caramel, and vanilla bean, accented by top notes of sweet apple pie, candied apple, and a faint hint of soft baking spice. On the palate, the whiskey feels remarkably smooth, oily, and full-bodied, balancing its proof heat with complex layers of rich chocolate mousse, cocoa powder, and a delicate dried peach sweetness. The mid-palate reveals deeper nuances of toasted oak, orange peel, light tobacco, and a subtle herbal freshness that keeps the rich wood sugars perfectly in check. The tasting journey closes out with an exceptionally long, warming, and composed finish, leaving a sophisticated trail of luscious oak tannins, cinnamon candy, cooked cherries, and a lingering semi-dry toffee and salted caramel sweetness.

Editions like Cigar Series Chapter 1 sit at the absolute intersection of everyday luxury and extreme spirits collecting, combining elite sourcing from one of Indiana's most historic distilleries with pioneering formulation milestones. The choice to step up to a 101-proof threshold ensures that the pour maintains enough punch and structural clarity to be enjoyed neat, with a premium medium-bodied cigar, or over a single large rock without being overshadowed. For collectors and enthusiasts who obsessively track the history of hidden warehouse treasures and Penelope's limited Cigar Sessions series, this striking amber-hued private allocation stands as one of the most flavor-forward and texturally complete bottles ever released. It remains a definitive benchmark for what an ultra-aged American grain whiskey can achieve when alternative wood profiles are allowed to interact at natural marrying strength.

• Size: 750ml
• Proof: 101 Proof (50.5% ABV)
• Age: 6 Years Old — aged for over half a decade prior to batching and selection
• Origin: Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana; Blended and Hand-Bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
• Distillery: Ross & Squibb Distillery (MGP — Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
• Style/Class: Blended American Whiskey — Rare Standalone Limited Edition Release
• Composition: A highly curated small-batch blend of Straight Bourbon, 100% American Single Malt, and American Light Whiskey
• Mash Bill: 72% Corn, 15% Rye, 13% Malted Barley (Composite Blend)
• Cask/Aging: Sourced components aged for 6 years in American oak; bourbon portion finished with French oak staves prior to blending
• Series/Edition: Cigar Sessions Series — Chapter No. 1 Inaugural Annual Small Batch Allocation (Non-Chill Filtered, 7,500 Cases Produced)
• Tasting Notes: Milk chocolate mousse, warm caramel, vanilla bean, candied apple, cocoa powder, baking spices, cinnamon, dried peach, orange peel, toasted oak, hint of tobacco; long finish with rich oak and a lingering salted caramel sweetness