I had a pour of Penelope Toasted (Opa Private Barrel) at Opa in Delaware, Ohio, a bourbon bar that’s a drinker’s museum with over 5,000 selections. This one’s a private barrel, char level 5, 114 proof, and bottled just for them. You won’t find it anywhere else.
Appearance & Nose
In the glass it was a clear gold, bright but serious. Nose was hard to pin down at the bar as food aromas overpowered things. Didn’t get much beyond the room itself. We’ll chalk that up to ambience too good to ignore.
Palate & Mouthfeel
First sip brought out butterscotch, then cinnamon warmth and oak showed up like old friends. There was a nice hit of citrus, with grapefruit sneaking in mid-palate. It tasted sweeter than it smelled, almost candy-like, then that heavy toast kicked in with roasted oak in full effect.
The mouthfeel surprised me. It was lighter than expected, thinner than what 114 proof normally throws down. Still, flavors packed in well for something not mouth-coating.
Finish
Long oak finish stuck around, solid but not overpowering. It echoed the sweetness from the sip with some lingering cinnamon heat but faded mostly into dry wood, keeping it honest.
Notes from the Tasting Context
This was poured neat in a rocks glass at Opa, a place that feels like a bourbon church. Staff hand-picked this barrel just for local geeks like us. That kind of curation matters; it shows someone cared about delivering something unique. The char 5 heavy toast gives this one a singular backbone you don’t get in standard Penelope.
Final Thoughts
Scored it an 8 out of 10. This one hits the sweet spot: sweet but toasty, bold but softened by that 114 proof. It’s balanced, long-finished, and delivers more than your standard Penelope.
If you’re at Opa and they’ve got this barrel, don’t debate it. Grab it neat and enjoy. It’s the kind of bourbon that says Kentucky small batch, but with a nod to the bigger barrel-proof world. Just don’t chase after normal shelf Penelope too hard. This one’s in its own league.