Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C920

Enjoying a freshly popped bottle neat. Also plan to have another review with an ice cube or two. Nose - love the nose. A great sweet heat. Very light burn but an overall sugar coated cherry nose. Taste - very full, heavy and warm on the tongue probably due to the proof. There is a good mixture of sweet and spicy throughout the palate. It also has that “earthy” taste to it towards the back end. Charred oak, sugary sweetness, cashew peanuts, cherries and leather sum this one up. Overall - a great very full bourbon with a great balance of sugary sweetness and a nice spicy heat. Compared to some other barrel proof offerings I have had, this one is in the middle not the best and not the worst

Nose: Big - charred oak, dark brown sugar, and a vanilla bean. The alcohol is absolutely present (which is no surprise given the proof), so nosing takes a moment of acclimation. Roasted nuts, ripe bing cherries, peaches, apricots, blueberries, and a little blackberry jam. Solid hits of nutmeg, clove, anise, and cinnamon. Being a wheater, it's not every day you find baking spices like this, telling you just how much character the barrel was responsible for here and what no dilution can mean. There's also some cumin and smoked paprika vibes buried in the back. Palate: Dense, dark brown sugar, charred oak, and vanilla bean. That barrel character is absolutely making itself known. Plenty rich, going between cream and browned butter. Natural peanut butter. Cherry flavored cough syrup. Over-ripe orange, floral perfume. Tannin texture and bitterness. Same hits of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, etc. The presentation on the palate is quite consistent with the nose. I'm reminded of the crust on a good tri tip seasoned with Pappy's - that combination of salt, seasonings, and charred beef. English style pipe tobacco, along with some dark chocolate cocoa. Toasted marshmallows - the ones you let light on fire and develop that black exterior. The upper and mid palate are both quite amplified, with enough lower palate to help support them. Medium mouthfeel. Finish: Obviously a big splash of ethanol, and then a flood of charred oak, sugar, and vanilla extract. Thyme, mint, rosemary all pop in, while a slightly vegetal note also hangs out - thinking green bell peppers and celery salt. The ethanol stays present, while things move towards vanilla icing and the oak tannin bitterness fills in and starts to fade out. long length on the finish. Other notes: Larceny is the only label coming out of Heaven Hill that I just can't jive with. Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Rittenhouse... everything else in the portfolio (that I've had, at least) has been excellent and right up my alley, but the Larceny and I just don't get along. That being said, this barrel proof edition is much more up my alley. The brittle, sharp character that I find is replaced with a burley, dense, rich experience. And while this isn't necessarily something that I'd find myself craving, it's a definite improvement over the original. I'll likely keep an eye out for future releases and pick up a bottle just to experience the batch-to-batch variation, though won't feel compelled to seek it out. A solid buy if you're curious.

Honestly this is becoming one of my favorites. It tastes much more expensive than it is. I’m a fan of wheated bourbons. This just doesn’t disappoint. I hate to use “smooth” but it is. Notes of banana bread, carmel, and cherry. If you like your bourbon with a bit less burn and and on the sweeter side don’t pass this one buy. For less than $30 it’s a bargain