Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A123

Good, better than others but still don’t love the profile

Dark copper in color and quite sticky for a barrel proof product. Legs show up late and move slowly. Naturally, the wheat is all over the nose, with baking spices, toast, light caramel, fresh hay, and fresh oak. Thin mouth feel, but sticks on the palate and the back of the tongue. It's spicy and warm, with undertones of vanilla and caramel. Finish is long: chocolate, dark caramel, clove, and exits with a hint of ripe fruit and a rich sweetness that emerges through the oaky dryness and baking spice. Naturally, it opens up a bit with some water. Not the best release I've had, but it's still excellent and an order of magnitude more complex and exciting than it's "regular" offering.

Nose is spicy and hot and fairly single dimensional. Neat taste is broadly hot, spicy and toasted dry oak predominantly. A few drops of water mellow it noticeably and it gets creamier, sweeter and the caramel toffee notes come forward as the hot and spicy notes recede. Slightly mouth drying in a tannin way

LARCENY BARREL PROOF A123 *NOSE: Clings to the sides of the Glencairn like glue. Dry Brown Sugar, Maple, Baked Sweet Potato, Barrel Spice, Fresh Hay, Fall Spices (Allspice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg), and Orange Peel. *NEAT: Thick, Coating Mouthfeel. Big Sweetness up front with Brown Sugar, Molasses, Sweet Potato, Sweet Oak. Mid-Palate gets a little Tannic Bite, Drying Oak, and Orange Peel. Backend gets Cinnamon and more Bitter Tannins. Long Finish with a Big KYHug but doesn’t drink higher than its proof the way most Larceny does to me. Great Thick Clingy Coating of Cinnamon, Orange Peel, and Oak that layers with each sip. * SPLASH: A few drops of water and the Orange Oil really takes over. A few drops more and you get Root Beer Barrels, Sawdust, and Peanut Shell. *VERDICT: This is definitely better than the B520 that I have. Not the hugest fan of HH’s Wheated Mashbill, but this is worth a pickup at retail. I do wish at the price point it was age stated.

The proof makes it appear that their is rye in the grain bill, but it's just a trick of the tongue. Of the most recent releases from Heaven Hill's Larceny line, this year's inaugural bottling has more wood and less caramel.  Full of esters and just a touch of oiliness, this is very much a powerhouse of a bourbon. Although you could sip it neat, we recommend adding a splash of water to really smooth out the edges. Cohesive, self assured and another succesful expression in the ever growing series.