2026 Penelope Cooper Series Riviera Straight Bourbon Whiskey 750ml

Penelope Cooper Series Riviera is an American Whiskey from Penelope Bourbon, blending 8 Year American Light Whiskey with Straight Bourbon and finishing the blend in rosé wine casks. This 2026 release is the first Cooper Series expression to lead with a light-whiskey-and-bourbon blend before secondary maturation, giving it a fruit-and-floral profile distinct from the rest of the Cooper lineup.

Penelope Bourbon is the bourbon line founded in 2018 by Mike Paladini and Danny Polise, named after Paladini's daughter Penelope. The brand was acquired by MGP Ingredients/Luxco in 2023, with sourcing and blending overseen by cofounder and Master Blender Danny Polise. Penelope's lineup spans the Core Series, Cooper Series (cask-finished), Limited Releases, and Estate Collection tiers.

Penelope's Cooper Series showcases cask finishing across barrels sourced globally - Havana finished in rum casks, Valencia in sherry, Tokaji in dessert wine casks, and Riviera in rosé. Because Riviera blends American Light Whiskey with Straight Bourbon, the finished product is classified as American Whiskey on the label rather than Straight Bourbon. The bourbon component is built on a 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye, 3% malted barley mash bill.

On the nose, it shows candied fruit and floral herbal notes. The palate brings sweet vanilla, angel food, and strawberry, and the finish carries rich leather, ripe berry, and a slight spice.

Riviera is positioned as a coastal-escape pour within the Cooper Series - sweeter and more floral than the rest of the lineup thanks to the rosé cask finish over a light-whiskey-forward blend. It drinks well neat or over a single large cube.