| Whiskey | Penelope Project X – Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask |
| Distillery | Sourced from MGP |
| Region | Lawrenceburg, Indiana |
| Type | Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 74% Corn, 15% Wheat, 7% Rye, 3% Malted Barley |
| Proof / ABV | 108 Proof / 54% ABV |
| Aging | 3.5 to 5 years in new American oak barrels – finishing time is unspecified |
| Filtration | Chill Filtered |
| MSRP | $70 |
| Release Year | 2025 |
Penelope Project X - Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask Tasting Notes
Appearance: Dark Red Amber
Nose: Rich dark fruits, black cherry, plum, fig, raisin, powdered sugar, cherry filled powdered donut, citrus, caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, baking spice, chocolate, hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, slight notes of wheat grain and malt
Palate: Heavy dark fruits, caramel, molasses, vanilla, powdered sugar, sugary sweetness, cinnamon spice, hazelnut, nutmeg, slight chocolate, rye spice, citrus, wheat, light malt
Finish: Very rich finish with a nice oily mouthfeel – leaves you with dark fruits, molasses, toasted oak, and just a touch of cinnamon and pepper spice on the tail end
Is Penelope Project X - Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask an Approachable Whiskey?
Penelope Project X – Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask is an interesting pour.
It has a higher ABV of 54% so I normally would not recommend this one for beginners, but it is so rich in dessert-like fruit and sugar flavors that I think this is a pour you could easily serve after dinner with dessert and everyone would enjoy.
That may just be the cask-strength fan in me shining through, but this one over-delivers on the flavor to back up the proof-point.
Is Penelope Project X - Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask Complex?
Penelope Project X created a very complex whiskey with this Oloroso Sherry and Cognac finish on their bourbon.
I’ve already reviewed their bottles with individual finishes of Oloroso Sherry and Cognac in the following reviews – Penelope Project X Oloroso Sherry Cask Review – Penelope Project X Cognac Cask Review.
While each of those bottles are decent – this combination of both is spectacular.
Penelope offers its four-grain mash bill that contains corn, wheat, rye, and malted barely which already offers a wide range of flavors to the whiskey.
But in addition, you get two additional finishes that round out the flavors.
The Oloroso Sherry is clearly the dominant finish in this whiskey with its delicious dark fruit notes which almost overpower the lighter fruits and apricot notes from the Cognac.
However, the Cognac finish adds its own qualities and helps smooth out the overall flavor profile.
This is one of the better Penelope bottles I have tasted and I have reviewed a ton of Penelope bottles.
What are Penelope Project X - Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Penelope Project X – Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask’s strongest attribute is that it’s part of the experimental series where Penelope is testing out new finishes and combinations of finishes on their bourbon.
It’s a limited-release bottle that is also a single barrel experience.
The majority of the bottles are store picks which means that each barrel is unique and offers a specific flavor profile than you’ll get in other bottles.
My bottle was selected by Fine Wine and Good Spirits here in Pennsylvania and whoever picked this barrel definitely did a good job!
Is Penelope Project X - Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask a go-to whiskey?
While I don’t think this would be a go-to whiskey for me since it is extremely rich and reminds me of a delicious dessert wine, this is a pour I will be reserving to share with friends after a nice dinner or for my friends that enjoy a good Sherry.
In addition, since it is a limited-release, this is one I will reserve for when I’m in the mood for a nice dessert-like whiskey.
Is Penelope Project X - Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask priced accurately to its quality?
The other bottles I have reviewed in the Penelope Project X Series were all worth the $70 price point just to taste an experiment with unique finishes on bourbon, but this particular bottle is probably worth a little more.
I don’t know if I would pay $100+ for it, but I think I would still be happy had I paid $99 for this bottle.
I’m very impressed with the richness of flavor in this one and the depth of flavor it offers.
Conclusion for Penelope Project X - Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask
Overall, this Oloroso Sherry and Cognac Cask is the clear winner of the initial 4 bottles released in the Penelope Project X Series.
You can read my Penelope Project X Oloroso Sherry Cask Review, Penelope Project X PX Sherry Cask Review, and my Penelope Project X Cognac Cask Review to see my thoughts on those bottles, but this one is by far the winner.
It was worth it for me to buy all four bottles just to give them all a fair shake and while I don’t know if I would buy a second bottle of the others, this one is definitely worthy of getting a backup.
So if you see it on the shelf, do yourself a favor and pick this one up!
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