For those bourbon drinkers out there who consider their occasional after-dinner pour dessert, such as I do, should be ecstatic over a release title such as this. Being one of my favorite desserts, I was very excited to find a bottle of this for those occasional nights that a sweet pour sounds amazing. Spoiler alert, although the flavors are there, if you try hard, this was not exactly what I had hoped for. Today’s review is of a bottle by the Penelope Bourbon Bottling Company and is of its popular Penelope Architect Crème Brûlée.

Bottle Information

From the Penelope Bourbon website: Architecture is defined as the the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings.  Using those same principles, we wanted to build new and distinct flavor profiles that same way an Architect creates new innovative structures.   

 Working in collaboration with Tonnellerie Radoux of France, the market leader in oak barrel manufacturing and innovation, we use French oak staves and their state-of-the-art OakScan® process to build a truly precise flavor profile within every bottle.  After all, the best architecture leaves no room for error.

• Distiller: Bottled by Penelope Bourbon Bottling Company
• Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, and 4% Malted Barley
• Proof: 110
• Age: 5
• Year: 2025
• MSRP: $79
• 2026 National Average: $100
• Official Website

This is a bottle I have heard about for several months now, but it has never seemed to make it to the NoCo area. Early this winter, Colorado finally received a drop, and bottles were quite plentiful, but they are now dwindling. Overall, this is a very good pour with solid notes of vanilla, brown sugar, and rye spice throughout; hence the name “Crème Brûlée.” Nonetheless, I guess I was hoping for a lasting finish, and I was expecting something a little sweeter with a grand name such as this. With that said, let’s get our taste on!

• Nose: Vanilla Custard, Rye Spice, Carmel, and Brown Sugar
• Palate: Vanilla Cream, Brown Sugar, Oak, Rye Spice, and Slight Marshmallow
• Finish: Short to Medium with Notes of Sweet Vanilla and Rye Spice
• My Rating: Mix It! (Perhaps I was expecting something a little sweeter with a grand name such as this… but still a very good pour)

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman®