The annual release of Penelope Valencia is set to launch.
On a journey to finish straight whiskeys in wine casks, Penelope Bourbon makes its latest stop in southern Spain.
This year’s installment pairs Penelope Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey with Vino de Naranja casks from Sevilla, Spain.
While the foundation for Valencia is Penelope’s Four Grain bourbon, the inspiration is Vino de Naranja. This is an orange wine produced in Spain’s southern coastal wine region of Sevilla by aging white wine and the bitter, fragrant peels of Seville oranges in oak barrels. While Seville oranges cannot be eaten raw, their sharp and powerful flavor and aroma are perfect for making marmalade, juices and Vino de Naranja.
“We’re constantly evolving and tweaking our processes with the goal of making our products better year over year,” says Michael Paladini, founder of Penelope Bourbon. “This year’s Valencia is a great example of that commitment, and we’re excited to share it for fans to enjoy.”
Penelope Valencia features a mash bill of 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat and 3% malted barley. It finished for up to 12 months in Vino de Naranja casks. This finish imparts an aroma of spice and iced coffee cake with orange glaze, the company reports, with a body including citrus zest and mandarin with hints of vanilla and candied ginger. The finish has notes of orange peel and black pepper.
“These are some of my favorite wine barrels to work with,” says Daniel Polise, founder and master blender of Penelope Bourbon. “The producer we partnered with from southern Spain creates exceptional orange wine, and this year’s release has fantastic, rich orange and citrus notes that really stand out from last year’s tangerine notes.”
Penelope Valencia is one of four cask finish releases in Penelope Bourbon’s Cooper Series. The other offerings include Rio, double finished in American honey and Brazilian oak casks; Rosé, finished in French rosé wine casks; and Tokaji, finished in Hungarian wine casks.
Penelope Valencia comes bottled at 95 proof (47.5% ABV) with a minimum suggested retail price of $79.99 per 750-ml. bottle. A limited allocation of 5,000 (6-in) cases ship in August.
A product locator for the Penelope family of bourbons can be found here.
In May of last year, Penelope Bourbon was acquired by MGP.
