Penelope Bourbon's Classic Series Is the Brand's Most Deliberate Move Yet
There are brands that grow by accident and brands that grow by design. Penelope Bourbon has always been the latter. From the moment founders Michael Paladini and Danny Polise cold-called liquor retailers from a New Jersey parking lot, every move they've made has been calculated, intentional, and surprisingly effective. The launch of the Classic Series — introducing a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a Straight Rye Whiskey to the lineup — is no different. It's not a pivot. It's a graduation.
For a brand that built its reputation on approachability, cask experimentation, and a four-grain mash bill that bent the rules of traditional bourbon blending, entering the Kentucky Straight category and laying down a proper rye is the kind of statement that makes the rest of the industry pay attention. The Classic Series signals that Penelope is done being a startup and ready to compete on every shelf in every tier of the American whiskey market.
Where Penelope Came From: The Origin Story That Still Resonates
Penelope Bourbon was crafted and created in a classic American tradition — to celebrate an impending birth of a child. In 2018, Mike Paladini and his wife, Kerry, found out they were expecting a baby girl, Penelope. To commemorate the occasion, Mike wanted to create a spirit that embodied the daily joy of celebrating life's pleasures — big and small. Teaming up with his close childhood friend and neighbor, Danny Polise, they set out to discover and produce a Straight Bourbon Whiskey everyone could appreciate and enjoy.
Penelope Bourbon started its journey with an undeniable disadvantage: no prior credentials or existing reputation in the bourbon world, as a company founded in New Jersey, a state with little to no bourbon history. That disadvantage quickly became irrelevant. When they started out, the two partners noticed a state law that allowed small brand owners to obtain wholesale liquor licenses. Since no major distributors were interested in Penelope at the time, Polise and Paladini took to the road, driving around the state and selling their whiskey to retailers — legally — from the trunk of their car.
In September of 2019 they landed a distributor, and the brand eventually became present in 30 states. Growth from there was relentless. A small player in a sea of new start-up bourbons, Penelope did surprisingly well among whiskey lovers, mainly thanks to its use of cask finishing. It released whiskeys finished in Vino de Naranja, rosé casks, Grenache casks, and Tokaji casks, among others, as well as a series of barrel-strength whiskeys. Penelope's Tokaji-finished rye and toasted barrel strength both received 91 points from Whisky Advocate's tasting panel.
The MGP Connection and What It Always Meant
Penelope Bourbon is distilled at MGP's historic Lawrenceburg, Indiana distillery. The distillery was founded in 1847. Partnering with his lifelong friend Danny Polise, Paladini sourced the spirit from MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. They chose a unique blend of three bourbon mash bills to set the brand apart from other MGP products. It was an unusual approach — blending three separate mash bills into a single four-grain profile gave Penelope's flagship product a distinctive character that stood apart from the MGP house style most drinkers recognized.
Penelope wasn't the first to develop a four-grain bourbon, but they were probably the best at marketing one on a large, persistent scale. Typically, a bourbon's secondary grain is rye, with a few brands swapping it out for wheat. Rye was used to add spice and contrast, while wheat was used to soften and sweeten a whiskey. Both were meant to fill out the range of flavors that corn didn't bring. Penelope saw the opportunity to offer both, going against the conventional wisdom of the category.
The Acquisition That Changed Everything
MGP Ingredients announced its acquisition of Penelope Bourbon as the company continued to grow its presence on the branded whiskey stage. The deal, carried out through MGP subsidiary Luxco, closed in June. The price was $105 million upfront, with a potential earn-out of $110.8 million if certain sales goals were met by 2025. That's not boutique money. For a brand that once sold bottles out of a trunk, it was validation on a scale most founders never see.
It had been over a year since the bourbon world was thunderstruck by the news of MGP Ingredients' acquisition of Penelope Bourbon. Penelope, a brand launched only five years prior by co-founders Michael Paladini and Daniel Polise, produces products ranging from a four-grain bourbon to numerous unique barrel finishes. Most surprisingly, this acquisition came with a twist: the Penelope brand had sourced all of its products from MGP, the company that acquired them through Luxco, one of its subsidiaries.
Penelope Spirits LLC was acquired by Luxco, Inc., a subsidiary of Midwest Grain Products (MGP), in 2023. Despite its acquisition, the company is still run by its original founders, Michael Paladini and Danny Polise. That continuity of leadership matters more than it might seem. The founders kept their hands on the wheel, and the brand's personality — experimentally minded, consumer-friendly, unafraid of novelty — remained intact through the transition.
Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux family, Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Luxco operates as MGP Ingredients Inc.'s Branded Spirits division since its acquisition in 2021. Penelope now joins a stable that includes such whiskeys as Ezra Brooks, Blood Oath, Daviess County, Lux Row, Rebel, Yellowstone, Minor Case, George Remus, Rossville Union, and Eight & Sand. That's a formidable portfolio, and Penelope is one of its most marketable names.
Understanding the Classic Series: A Strategic Step Toward Shelf Dominance
The Classic Series represents Penelope's most direct bid to date for the everyday drinking occasion — the tier where most whiskey is actually consumed and most brand loyalty is actually built. With a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a Straight Rye under one umbrella, the series positions Penelope not as a novelty purchase but as a go-to bottle.
The Penelope Classic Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey brings together balance, approachability, and depth in unmistakable Penelope fashion. Aged in new American oak barrels, it delivers a smooth, polished profile. Designed to be versatile enough for everyday enjoyment yet refined enough for enthusiasts, the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey represents the next chapter of the brand's commitment to quality, innovation, and modern whiskey craftsmanship.
The shift to a Kentucky Straight designation is significant. It places this expression under some of the most rigorous production rules in American whiskey — distilled in Kentucky, matured in new charred oak containers, aged at least two years in the state, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. It signals that Penelope is no longer just sourcing to fill a niche; they're building a foundation.
The Classic Rye: Seven to Nine Years of Patience
If the Classic Series bourbon is the handshake, the Straight Rye is the grip. As a proud member of the brand's Classic Series, this expression represents Penelope's dedication to crafting accessible, highly enjoyable whiskey with layered complexity. Aged for 7 to 9 years and bottled at an ideal 92 proof (46% ABV). A remarkably smooth, 92-proof rye, it's perfect for sipping or use in classic cocktails.
A seven-to-nine-year age range on a rye whiskey is not a marketing flourish — it's a genuine commitment to maturation at a time when no-age-statement releases dominate the value tier. At 92 proof, Penelope has found the sweet spot between drinkability and character: enough alcohol to carry the grain's natural spice and herbal notes without the burn that drives casual drinkers away from rye in the first place. For the drinker who's been happy with Rittenhouse or Bulleit Rye but wants to trade up without going full allocated-release hunting, the Classic Series Rye lands squarely in that space.
Why 92 Proof Is the Right Call
Proof is a conversation that divides whiskey drinkers more than almost any other variable, and Penelope has always understood how to read the room. Their flagship Four Grain was bottled at 80 proof deliberately — Penelope marketed their four-grain bourbon to an often-neglected demographic group, including younger, female, and new drinkers, setting the proof to the lowest allowed by law to still be called a bourbon. That move built a broad audience fast. Now, with the Classic Series Rye at 92 proof, Penelope is reaching back toward the enthusiast community without alienating the casual consumer who graduated up through their core lineup.
Ninety-two proof sits in a historically comfortable zone for American rye whiskey. It's high enough to let grain character shine at room temperature, but approachable enough on the rocks that it doesn't require a water dropper or a tasting journal to enjoy. It's the kind of proof point that works in a Sazerac or a Manhattan just as well as it works on its own in a Glencairn. Penelope clearly understands that the best-selling whiskey is often the most versatile one.
How the Classic Series Fits Into the Larger Penelope Portfolio
To understand what the Classic Series accomplishes, it helps to understand where it lands among everything Penelope already produces. The brand runs several distinct tiers simultaneously, each with its own personality and price point.
The Core Series and Its Foundation
The Four Grain label is the Penelope brand's entry-level and flagship product. It offers an easy-drinking, lower-proofed option that is perfect for cocktails. The product is a blend of three bourbon mash bills containing all four grains averaging 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, and 3% malted barley. The bourbon is distilled at the Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, aged for a minimum of 36 months in new American oak barrels with a #4 char for the barrel staves and a #2 char for the barrel head, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 80 proof.
Penelope's core products include Wheated Bourbon, Architect, Barrel Strength, and Toasted Bourbon. Their limited releases include Rio, Havana, Rosé Cask Finish, Valencia, Tokaji Cask Finish, Toasted Rye, and American Light Whiskey. That is not a short list for a brand that's less than a decade old. The Cooper Series and the ready-to-pour cocktail line add further breadth. The Peach Old Fashioned and Black Walnut Old Fashioned ready-to-pour cocktails are available year-round nationwide, and the two expressions recently earned platinum awards in the Pre-Mixed Cocktail category at the 2025 ASCOT Awards.
The Estate Collection at the Top of the Stack
At the opposite end from the Classic Series sits the Estate Collection — Penelope's most ambitious and expensive tier. The award-winning Penelope Bourbon 2025 Estate Collection is a bold array of five distinct expressions with minimum age statements of 10 years, for fans of premium and ultra-premium straight bourbon whiskey. The expanded collection includes a reimagined Founders Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the introduction of new Omega Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Omega French Oak barrels, and the award-winning Single Barrel and Private Select bourbons.
The 2025 Founders Reserve is a single lot that stands as a testament to patience. With a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, the 2025 edition is aged 13 years and bottled at cask strength at 121.4 proof (60.7% ABV). Packaged in the signature deep green Founders Reserve collectors' box, approximately 3,700 cases will be on shelf in select markets at a minimum suggested retail price of $199.99 per 750mL bottle.
Then there's the Omega — arguably the most technically ambitious bourbon the brand has ever produced. After 11 years of maturation, this straight bourbon whiskey is refined for an additional year in Radoux Omega barrels, considered the pinnacle of French Oak innovation. Crafted with rare, tight-grain oak and a meticulously designed toast profile, these barrels embody the highest level of precision and artistry in coopering. Radoux Cooperage, a global leader in barrel production, pioneered OakScan® technology to scientifically select staves with the exact chemical composition needed to achieve the desired flavor profile. This data-driven approach, paired with Penelope's vision, creates a whiskey of remarkable balance, refinement, and modern craftsmanship.
The contrast between the Estate Collection and the Classic Series is exactly the point. One is a collector's pursuit; the other is a daily driver. Together they cover the full range of what a serious whiskey brand needs to own to remain relevant.
The Cooper Series: Where Experimentation Lives
Between the accessible Classic Series and the prestige Estate Collection, the Cooper Series is where Penelope lets its freak flag fly. The Rosé Cask Finish was the first installment in the Cooper Series, pairing Penelope whiskey with wine casks from interesting wine-making regions around the world. The bourbon is aged four to five years in new American oak barrels, then finished for four months in French Grenache Rosé Wine Casks from the Southern Rhône region of France. The final product is non-chill filtered and bottled in small batches at 94 proof (47% ABV). The Rosé Cask Finish won gold medals in 2022 and 2023 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
The Rio expression takes it further still — a straight bourbon finished in honey barrels, bottled at 102.2 proof with a mash bill of 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye, and 3% malted barley. Havana pushed even deeper into the experimental zone. Much like Rio, Havana spent time in three different barrels. First, the bourbon was aged for four years. Once dumped, it was finished in used Caribbean rum casks for an additional 12 months. Finally, it was aged for another month in a barrel that was previously used to hold maple syrup.
The Cooper Series exists to generate conversation and to signal that Penelope is not standing still. But it also serves a strategic function: it attracts whiskey explorers who might not have heard of the brand otherwise, and it gives long-term fans something to chase with each new release. The Classic Series, by contrast, is designed to keep those fans coming back week after week, not just when a limited allocation drops.
The Ready-to-Pour Segment: A Smart Play in a Growing Market
No coverage of Penelope's current trajectory would be complete without acknowledging how aggressively they've moved into the ready-to-pour cocktail space. Just in time for crisp fall evenings and seasonal gatherings, Penelope Bourbon introduced the Apple Cinnamon Old Fashioned — a limited-edition ready-to-pour cocktail that reimagines the timeless classic with festive flavor. Crafted in small batches as a limited release in 2025 with straight bourbon, rye whiskey, apple cinnamon bitters, and simple syrup, it's designed to bring the warmth of autumn to any occasion, no mixing required.
The ready-to-pour segment is not a gimmick in 2025 and 2026 — it's a real growth category that major players are fighting over. Penelope entered it with credibility because their base whiskeys were already well-regarded, and they've used the category to introduce the brand to consumers who might never have wandered into the straight whiskey aisle on their own. That's savvy brand architecture.
Industry Implications: What the Classic Series Tells Us About the Premium Middle Market
The American whiskey market is bifurcating. At one end, allocated bottles with triple-digit price tags draw collectors and flippers who camp outside stores and trade bottles online at markups that would make a wine broker blush. At the other end, value-priced sourced whiskeys compete on price alone. The middle — good, aged, honest American whiskey at fair prices — is where the real battle is being fought, and it's where Penelope has planted its flag with the Classic Series.
Since being bought by MGP, Penelope has lowered the price of every one of their whiskeys, including limited edition releases. For a brand that has grown in popularity since they launched, there probably wasn't a need to do this. Even though they are no longer the middleman and getting their bourbon straight from the source, they have used their new position to offer goodwill toward their customers, which always goes a long way toward building consumer loyalty. That decision is already paying dividends. The Classic Series continues that philosophy, delivering genuine age statements and Kentucky Straight credentials at approachable price points.
It's clear Penelope is spearheading a new chapter for their parent company, MGP, and using inspiration to instantly communicate that their new line of whiskeys evokes quality and value. The Classic Series is perhaps the clearest expression of that mission statement. It doesn't need a flashy barrel finish or a collector-grade bottle to justify its existence — it just needs to be good, consistent, and worth returning to. Based on the brand's track record with the Estate Collection and the Cooper Series, there's no reason to think they can't deliver exactly that.
What the Classic Series Means for Whiskey Enthusiasts
For the drinker who has been following Penelope since the early batches and wondering when the brand would put down something simple and honest, the Classic Series is the answer. A Kentucky Straight Bourbon and a seven-to-nine-year Straight Rye at 92 proof — both available nationwide, both priced to move — represent the kind of lineup that can sit on a home bar without apology and rotate through on a regular basis without breaking the budget.
The Rye, in particular, fills a gap in Penelope's catalog that eagle-eyed fans have noticed for a while. The brand has played with rye in the Cooper Series and used it in their ready-to-pour cocktail blends, but a dedicated, properly aged Straight Rye with a legitimate age statement is a different animal. It tells the market that Penelope has been thinking long-term — quite literally — storing barrels and letting them develop rather than rushing product to shelf.
Today, Penelope Bourbon is available in all 50 states as well as seven countries. That distribution footprint means the Classic Series won't be a regional treasure hunt. It will be there when you need it, and that might be its single greatest attribute in a market where scarcity has become an exhausting marketing cliché.
The Road Ahead: A Brand With a Clear Sense of Where It's Going
Penelope Bourbon has spent roughly six years building one of the more interesting portfolios in American whiskey — layer by layer, series by series, always with an eye on who the customer is and what they actually want to drink. The Classic Series is not a reinvention. It's a consolidation of everything the brand has learned about the market and its own capabilities.
The founders who drove around New Jersey selling bourbon out of a trunk are now overseeing a brand that's part of a multi-billion-dollar spirits group, producing 13-year cask-strength expressions, French oak–finished innovations built with data-driven coopering technology, and now a Kentucky Straight bourbon and a properly aged rye that can sit alongside any comparable bottle in the American whiskey aisle. The trajectory has been steep and the execution has been sharp.
Penelope continues to innovate within the Cooper Series, Limited Releases, and Estate Collection to further establish their place among the top premium whiskey brands. The Classic Series adds a fourth pillar — the everyday, reliable, quality-first expression that turns first-time buyers into repeat customers and repeat customers into brand advocates. In whiskey, that's how empires are built, one glass at a time.
