Penelope Bourbon Tokaji Cask Finish is one of the most imaginative and genuinely exciting finished bourbons to emerge from the American craft spirits renaissance — a whiskey that draws an unexpected and utterly compelling line between the bluegrass fields of Kentucky and the volcanic hillside vineyards of the Tokaj wine region in northeastern Hungary. From Penelope Bourbon, the New York-based independent bottler and blender that has built a devoted following for its thoughtful, approachable approach to American whiskey, this expression takes a carefully selected straight bourbon and finishes it in casks that previously held Tokaji — Hungary's legendary "wine of kings," one of the world's oldest and most revered dessert wines.
Tokaji — pronounced "toh-KAI" — is produced from botrytis-affected (noble rot) grapes in Hungary's Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has been celebrated since the 17th century for its extraordinary sweetness, acidity, and complexity. The casks that held this golden nectar impart a uniquely luscious, honeyed, and apricot-rich character to the bourbon that is unlike any other finish on the market — a marriage of American oak-driven vanilla and caramel with the exotic dried fruit, orange blossom, and honeyed sweetness of one of the world's great dessert wines.
The nose is immediately captivating — classic bourbon vanilla and caramel are lifted by waves of dried apricot, orange blossom honey, and a distinctive Tokaji sweetness that is both exotic and deeply inviting. On the palate, it's medium-bodied and beautifully layered: butterscotch, stone fruit, soft corn sweetness, and a warming spice build alongside notes of candied orange peel, beeswax, and a gentle floral richness that speaks of the Tokaji influence. The finish is long, warm, and honeyed — dried apricot, vanilla, and a lingering floral sweetness fading gracefully.
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Producer: Penelope Bourbon
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Style: Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey
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Finish: Tokaji wine casks (Hungary)
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ABV: 52% / Proof: 104
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Size: 750ml
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Tokaji: UNESCO World Heritage wine region, northeastern Hungary
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Tasting Notes: Vanilla, caramel, dried apricot, orange blossom honey, butterscotch, stone fruit, candied orange peel, beeswax, warming spice
