In a city renowned for its passion for revelry, the nearly four
weeks between football’s biggest game of the year and Mardi Gras promise to elevate New Orleans’ jovial spirit to unprecedented heights. Whether you’re on a krewe float, cheering the Caesars Superdome action from a Big Easy bar, or raising a glass at home, you need a craft spirit deserving of the festivities. You need Penelope Bourbon. Named after the promise of new beginnings—
the founder Mike Paladini’s baby girl—Penelope Bourbon embodies an essence of jubilation with its line of smooth, versatile whiskeys. And there’s no better distillation than Penelope’s latest expression, a four-grain wheated bourbon that delivers a sweet and spicy sip worthy of the celebrations.
“Our mission has always been to make whiskey approachable,” Paladini says. Paladini and his business partner, Danny Polise,
built their brand with inclusivity at its heart. As industry outsiders, the two New Jersey natives set out to create a whiskey that was both flavorful and affordable. What began as a passion project driven by intuition and personal taste has evolved into one of the fastest-growing whiskey brands in the nation. And while wheated
is technically a new release, it’s been in research and development for years.
Wheated started as an on-premise distillation for a regional customer. “It was really something we only made as a select, but
it was fantastic,” Polise says. “I would keep bottles in my house,
and I started to notice that whenever I had people over, they always gravitated toward it.” The men realized it wasn’t fair to keep this secret sauce a, well, secret anymore. Last year they decided to
ramp up production and bring the lighter, full-flavored expression to store shelves.
by RACHEL HAHN
video by MIKA ALTSKAN AND MATVEY FIKS
Shop Penelope Bourbon at PenelopeBourbon.com
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The timing couldn’t be better, especially if your 2025 plans include embracing the spirit of laissez les bons temps rouler. Penelope’s Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey is celebration ready, whether enjoyed neat or elevated into something extraordinary—like the Penelope Noir cocktail. Crafted for those going all out for the Big Game or Fat Tuesday, this layered libation is as vibrant and full of character as the city of New Orleans itself, with each ingredient telling a story.
Appreciated for its floral sweetness, the wheated serves as the core of the drink. Benedictine, a tribute to New Orleans’ French heritage, brings in herbal and honeyed notes that enhance the bourbon’s character, while ruby port enriches the texture with a luxurious depth that reflects the city’s vibrant charm—think jazz clubs and vivid murals.
For brightness, orange curaçao adds a lively citrus pop, reminiscent of
the energy in a second- line parade, while subtly balancing the sweetness. Then, to really gild the lily, black walnut bitters provide a nutty warmth, evoking the essence of Southern comforts like pralines and pecan pie for
a drink as rich and layered the Big Easy.
Flavorful and vibrant, the Penelope Noir is more than a cocktail—it’s a Southern smile in a glass and the ideal beverage to toast one seriously spirited season.
“Our mission has
always been to make whiskey approachable.”
A Party-
Ready Pour
Let the good times roll with
Penelope Bourbon
1 ½ oz. Penelope
Wheated Bourbon
½ oz. Benedictine
½ oz. ruby port
¼ oz. orange curaçao
1 dash black walnut bitters
Orange twist, for garnish
Penelope Noir
Yield: 1 cocktail
PREPARATION
In a mixing glass, combine
bourbon, Benedictine, ruby port, orange curaçao, and a dash of
black walnut bitters. Add ice and
stir about 20 to 30 turns. Strain
into a coupe glass that’s been
chilled. Garnish with orange twist.
INGREDIENTS
The Penelope Noir cocktail, a drink designed to taste like New Orleans in a glass.
In a city renowned for its passion for revelry, the nearly four weeks between football’s biggest game of the year and Mardi Gras promise to elevate New Orleans’ jovial spirit to unprecedented heights. Whether you’re on a krewe float, cheering the Caesars Superdome action from a Big Easy bar, or raising a glass at home, you need a craft spirit deserving of the festivities. You need Penelope Bourbon. Named after the promise of new beginnings—the founder Mike Paladini’s baby girl—Penelope Bourbon embodies an essence of jubilation with its line of smooth, versatile whiskeys. And there’s no better distillation than Penelope’s latest expression, a four-grain wheated bourbon that delivers a sweet and spicy sip worthy of the celebrations.
“Our mission has always been to make whiskey approachable,” Paladini says. Paladini and his business partner, Danny Polise, built their brand with inclusivity at its heart. As industry outsiders, the two New Jersey natives set out to create a whiskey that was both flavorful and affordable. What began as a passion project driven by intuition and personal taste has evolved into one of the fastest-growing whiskey brands in the nation. And while wheated is technically a new release, it’s been in research and development for years.
Wheated started as an on-premise distillation for a regional customer. “It
was really something we only made as a select, but it was fantastic,” Polise says.
“I would keep bottles in my house, and I started to notice that whenever I had people over, they always gravitated toward it.”
The men realized it wasn’t fair to keep this secret sauce a, well, secret anymore. Last year they decided to ramp up production
and bring the lighter, full-flavored expression to store shelves.
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