Review #153: Penelope Marshmallow Toast

COST: $70 for 750mL bottle (local liquor store in SC)

AGE: 4 yrs

MASH BILL: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley

PROOF: 110

Here’s a bottle that Penelope just quietly slipped out there with no press release or anything. It's a spinoff from their Toasted Series. Instead of being released as part of the normal Toasted Series, it is designated as a “Private Batch” and has the added words “Marshmallow Toast” at the top of the label. When I first saw this on shelves about a month ago, I didn’t think much of it. Figured it was just a release that I hadn’t seen the press release for yet. But then a couple weeks went by and I saw it again at the same store and realized I still hadn’t heard anything about it. However, I passed on it again. Then a week later I saw it at a different store and this time I paused and started doing some research right there and realized this is a complete ghost. The store owner also saw me doing some research and came over and said, "I promise you it's good. Just get it. If you don't like it, bring it back and I'll let you get anything of equal value." That was enough to sell me on it. So with that, let’s dig in!

Reviewed neat in a Glencairn.

APPEARANCE: Quite dark for 4 years old, a dark brown color (1.8), and looks like a thin syrup on the side of the glass.

NOSE: The nose is definitely sweet with a little spice. Brown sugar, toasted vanilla bean, butter cream frosting, marshmallow fluff, and a touch of maraschino cherry syrup. Sweet oak and spicy rye lie softly in the background, and with a good swirl in the glass I get a slight cocoa note. This is a very inviting nose!

PALATE: It has an interesting mouthfeel in that it’s airy and light, rolling around on the palate with ease, but leaves a nice even coating everywhere. There’s more spice on the palate than on the nose. Spicy cinnamon and vanilla snickerdoodle with a touch of cayenne hit me right away, powdered sugar, a jumbo marshmallow perfectly toasted over a campfire, and burnt brown sugar follow close behind. A touch of citrus and dried berries ebb and flow while a smoky oak note remains constant in the background.

FINISH: This is a medium to long finish and semi-dry. The proof heat shows up here tingling the palate. Seasoned oak, dark cherry, toasted vanilla bean, and black pepper make appearances in the finish, and after the tingle on the palate subsides, a sweet, charred oak note, light maple syrup, and charred marshmallow persist bringing this to a close.

RATING: 8.2/10

VALUE: 7.3/10 (This is an attempt to take into account price, tasting rating, age, and proof. See my spreadsheet for more details.)

OVERALL: Damn…I’m a fan, y’all! This is delicious! The name is worthy as I pick up various marshmallow notes throughout the sip.  This is the highest rating I’ve ever given a 4-year-old or less whiskey, and it’s completely deserving of it. My biggest complaint is that it does have a bit of a bite from proof heat here and there. While it’s mostly absent on the nose, it occasionally shows up on the palate, but mostly in the finish. I expect this for a younger whiskey coming in at 110 proof though. I’ll also add that I did try it with a couple drops of water and it was enough to knock off the edges (and interestingly enough, more spice notes were able to shine through). I don’t normally pick up backup bottles for things as there’s always something new that I’d rather try, but I do get backups on occasion. This will be one that I’m going back to get a backup for. I have a feeling when people start finding out about this one it’s going to be gone in a hurry. 

1 | Disgusting | ...I've not subjected myself to this level

2 | Poor | Balcones Lineage

3 | Bad | High West Double Rye, Jefferson's Ocean 28

4 | Sub-par | Weller's SR, Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select

5 | Good | Buffalo Trace, Sazerac Rye, Green River Wheated

6 | Very Good | Blanton's, Holladay Bourbons, Eagle Rare

7 | Great | Baker's 7yr SiB, BBCo Origin High Wheat, 1792 BiB

8 | Excellent | Most ECBP batches, JD SiB BiB, High West MWND Act 11

9 | Incredible | Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 121.2, BBC DS #7, Four Roses OESQ

10 | Perfect | Found North Batch 08

Check out all my reviews: Woodgrain & Whiskey.