🥃Review #3: Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon - Batch A124 First Crack & Mid Bottle

Larceny Barrel Proof marketing image from heaven hill - sitting on a barrel in the warehouse

Credit: heavenhilldistillery.com

📚Background: Larceny Barrel Proof has been a favorite of many high proof but budget conscious consumers for years. Released three times per year (January Batch A, May Batch B, and September Batch C), this uncut version of larceny's standard wheated goodness has increased in community esteem since its launch in 2020.

🛒Sourced: $59.99 Costco, GA 750ml - What a Deal! SRP is $64.99

🧪Proof: 124.2 proof, 62.1% ABV

🍴Prep: Rested in a Glencairn for 10 minutes

👃Nose: Surprisingly mild for the proof, slightly sweet overall with some nuttiness, pecan, mingled with traditional bourbon oak, bold but not astringent. Second nose you get some of the distinctive Heaven Hill mint.

🥔Mash Bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley. An Elijah Craig or Larceny barrel hunt will cull out 200 barrels or less to be dumped and mingled. For the barrel proof offerings, these undergo additional high scrutiny by a tasting panel. Heaven Hill doesn't mention the batch sizes for barrel proof specifically, but I would imagine the batch sizes tends towards less barrels rather than more just because there is less tempering influence from water to mask any off flavors.

😜Palate: Immediate burst of alcohol on the initial sip that deepens into usual oak/vanilla and a surprising amount of baking spices, nutmeg & pepper. Kicks & opens beautifully. Medium viscosity, perhaps a little thinner than I would have expected on the tongue.

💦Finish: Very long, the warmth lingers well after the liquid fades. Runs a bit hot and you can definitely feel it! Oak and cinnamon here to stay.

⚖️Comparison to previous Expressions: I tasted A123 and C923 last year and this is definitely closer to the A batch with even more spice notes while being decidedly less sweet overall when compared to the C release.

🏆Overall: I enjoy this expression and it is a fairly nuanced pour for the price. I like it less than the 2023 batches though those are gone so I'm doing this from memory, but there is a lot going on in this bottle for a barrel proof at this price.

Score: 6.5/10 - Great (T8ke scale), initial rating

Update 6/16/24: This batch was awarded best in class for for the Bourbon Category by the American Distilling Institutes International Spirits Competition. Since a few months have passed, I've decided to take a second thoughtful tasting of it and see how some additional air in the headspace treats it. Typically a little bit of air serves to iron out some of the rougher edges of a big whiskey provided it's not left in the bottle too long at which point flavors will inevitably start to fade.

I do think the air has helped tone down a bit of the heat. Originally, I thought this Bourbon ran a bit hot even for it's proof, but now it is a bit more in line with expectations. Tasting notes were dead on and I'm not getting anything additional, though the mint does shine through a bit more.

Re-Reviewed Score: 6.5/10 - Great (T8ke scale) I think I agree with my original rating. Definitely a cut above other offerings though I'm not enamored with it enough to understand the "best in class" rating. LBP is a great entry point into the world of barrel proof bourbon.

💵Would buy again? Yes

Heaven Hill's Larceny Barrel Proof bourbon Whiskey on a counter with the cork askew

👇Some other Barrel Proof Reviews:

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