Penelope Toasted Straight Bourbon - Standard Release vs Store Pick

Behind the Pour

Penelope Bourbon has been flying off shelves, and Crystal and Roger have been with the brand long enough to compare what it was like to find it five years ago versus now. In this episode they run a side-by-side: the standard Toasted release against a private barrel pick from Will of OKC — the same bourbon, a different journey through the warehouse. The question is what a year of extra age and an extra 16 proof, non-chill filtered, from a single barrel does to a spirit that already has an audience.

What You'll Discover

• Standard Toasted vs private barrel pick: Standard release is Char Level 4, medium toast, 100 proof, 4 years old (Batch 25, Bottle 302). The Will of OKC store pick is Char Level 2, medium toast, 116 proof, 5 years old, non-chill filtered — a private single barrel.
• Why chill filtration matters: The store pick's non-chill-filtered status means the natural oils and fatty compounds from the whiskey are preserved in the bottle — visible as a slight haze or 'love cloud' at the bottom. Roger actively looks for this as a quality marker.
• What a single barrel pick means in practice: A store or group is invited to taste from a selection of barrels at the distillery, chooses their preferred one, and receives approximately 220-230 bottles when it matures. The Will of OKC pick is one iteration of this process.
• Char Level 2 vs Char Level 4: Heavier char (level 4) adds more carbon filtration and vanilla/caramel extraction from the barrel. A lighter char (level 2) with medium toast produces different wood compounds — more wood spice, slightly more grain-forward character.
• An extra year's difference: The store pick at 5 years vs the standard's 4 years, combined with barrel strength versus proofed-down, means two fairly different pours despite the same base spirit.

A Moment of Pourspective

The difference between a standard release and a barrel pick is not just proof and age — it is the difference between a distillery's recipe and one specific barrel's story. Both matter. Neither replaces the other.

Explore the Conversation

The Penelope Toasted comparison episode is about precision in a way that most bourbon comparisons are not. Crystal and Roger have both bottles open simultaneously, and the exercise is not just which one is better — it is what the variables actually produce. Char level, proof, chill filtration, and an extra year in barrel are all in play at the same time. The neck pour on one of the bottles triggers an early digression about whether standard bottle fills vary by batch — Crystal invites viewers to comment whether their bottle was filled to the shoulders or higher. That kind of community engagement is how TLC builds knowledge: from thousands of individual experiences compared against each other. Penelope's brand trajectory is part of the conversation. Five years ago you could find the standard Toasted without effort. Now it flies off shelves and store picks command premiums. The episode exists at the interesting moment where a brand graduates from discovery to hunt.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Cooper's Craft program that Penelope is part of? Penelope Bourbon is not part of the Cooper's Craft line (which is Brown-Forman). Penelope is its own independent brand known for its blended American straight whiskey and innovative finishing program (Cooper Series).
• What is the Will of OKC? It is an Oklahoma City whiskey club or liquor retailer that did a private barrel pick of this Penelope expression. Private barrel picks are available through clubs, specialty retailers, or whiskey groups.
• Is the store pick worth the premium over standard? Based on this episode, the non-chill filtered, higher proof, older single barrel carries more complexity. Whether the premium is worth it depends on your preference for barrel-strength versus approachable proofs.
• What does 'medium toast' mean on a barrel? Toast refers to the level of heat applied to the inside of the barrel before charring. Medium toast caramelizes the wood sugars before the char layer forms, which produces vanilla and spice notes that a heavy char alone might not develop.

Episode at a Glance

• Spirits reviewed: Penelope Toasted Standard Release (100 proof, 4yr) vs Will of OKC Store Pick (116 proof, 5yr, non-chill filtered)
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: approximately 25 minutes
• Category: Bourbon
• Format: Side-by-side comparison