Penelope's First Wheat Whiskey, Elijah Craig's Final Batch of the Year, and J. Mattingly's Latest

Among the week's new bourbon and American whiskeys, Elijah Craig completes its 2024 releases of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof with Batch C9245, which is at the usual hefty ABV and has an age of 11 years. This year's Batch A was at 10 years and 9 months, while Batch B was at 11 years and 2 months, all of which had caused some grumbling among the faithful, who had grown to love the 12 year old age statement the brand had sported until last year. Elsewhere, the ever creative Penelope continues to be adventurous, exemplified by its latest release, a wheat whiskey expression. Two other new Penelope expressions are also in the mix, and all three are well aged, with the wheated whiskey at 11 years and the other two, both bourbons, at 10 years old. Finally, J. Mattingly has a new bourbon blend, using light whiskey and its "double staving" process.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (Batch C924)

ABV: 64.5%
SRP: $75
Availability: Nationwide

Each year, Kentucky distillery Heaven Hill releases three batches of its enormously popular Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbon. The third batch for 2024 has just hit shelves, sporting an 11 year old age statement and a proof of 64.5% ABV.

The new batch, which is called C924, follows the same naming scheme as some of Heaven Hill’s other batched offerings. Each one starts with a letter—A, B, or C—denoting which number batch it is for the year. (Batch A is the first release of each year, followed by B the second batch, and then by C the third.) The first number denotes the month the batch was released, while the final two stand for the year.

While the defining feature of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof its powerful ABV, these whiskeys offer a lot more than just high octane. Heaven Hill’s cask strength expressions like ECBP, Larceny Barrel Proof, and Bernheim Barrel Proof are remarkably gentle and approachable for their proof points—drinking more smoothly than many whiskeys that are bottled at far lower ABVs.

Penelope Founders Reserve Wheat Whiskey

ABV: Varies
SRP: $199
Availability: Limited; Arriving in October or November

Penelope Private Select Bourbon

ABV: 50.6%
SRP: $80
Availability: 36,000 bottles, launching nationwide next month

Penelope Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: Varies
SRP: $90
Availability: Limited

Fans of Penelope will be glad to hear that the brand is announcing several whiskeys this week. The first one, Founders Reserve, is a Ross & Squibb-distilled 11 year old wheat whiskey with a mashbill of 95% wheat and 5% malted barley. Penelope is releasing five lots of this whiskey, all with varying proof points:

• Lot B: 59.2%
• Lot C: 58.3%
• Lot D: 54.75%
• Lot E: 53.8%
• Lot F: 54.1%

The second whiskey belongs to the annual Private Select series. It’s a blend of 9 year old bourbons from two different states, with a four-grain mashbill of 74% corn, 20% rye, 1% wheat, and 5 % malted barley.

Penelope’s single barrel release comprises two separate whiskeys, which will be available in different parts of the country. The first one is bottled at 49% ABV, and has a mashbill of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley. It’ll be shipping to control states starting next month. The other bourbon has slightly less rye content (21% of the mashbill) and a higher proof (52.5% ABV), and distribution will be in open states. Both versions were aged for 10 years, and come from different rickhouses.

J. Mattingly 1845 Bourbon 31 Blended Bourbon

ABV: 49%
SRP: $60
Availability: Limited

A play on J. Mattingly’s former name, Bourbon 30 (the distillery rebranded last year after taking on investors), Bourbon 31 blends three whiskeys, all of which have undergone the distillery’s signature double-staving process, wherein they’re exposed to charred barrel staves during maturation. The exact blend is 51% bourbon, 29% light whiskey, and 20% rye whiskey. Distillery president Harry Richart says the whiskey was specifically created for the fall season, as it highlights notes of pumpkin and cinnamon up front.

The new whiskey is available online and at the J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Mattingly regularly plays with blends of bourbon, light whiskey, and rye, and allows its customers to do so as well—its “Choose Your Own Adventure” program lets buyers build their own blend, bottle, label, and wax color (and ahead of Halloween, they’ve created on-theme label options and wax colors).