Larceny Bourbon was first brought to market in 2012 to great success as a wheated bourbon. I personally was never very impressed with the original expression. Obviously, Heaven Hill has had 12 years to perfect the product so I will go into this with an open mind. This is their final release of 2024 and the ad campaign is dubbed “Seize Tonight.”
Heaven Hill said, “The campaign is centered around the idea that the most memorable moments happen when you let curiosity get the best of you and take a little risk- much like John Fitzgerald himself.”
In the spirit of the moment I’ll take a little risk, have a pour, and give you my thoughts.
Larceny Bourbon Whiskey
Class: Wheated Kentucky Bourbon
Price: $64.99
Notes:
- Aged 6 to 8 years in new American oak barrels
- Mashbill (68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley)
- Bottled at 62.55% ABV (125.1 proof)
Nose: 90.5/100. Honey, toasted oak, caramel and vanilla. Overall, an appealing nose.
Palate: 75/100. Sweet with a thin mouthfeel, generous oak, vanilla. and a good bit of heat. Not as complex as I expected from the nose.
Finish: 79.5/100. A medium finish of vanilla caramelized sugar, oak, vanilla and cereal notes.
Overall: 81.6/100
Recommendation: A decent wheater and worth buying a pour.
From the distillery's website:
About Larceny Bourbon
The story of Larceny begins with John E. Fitzgerald, a bonded U.S. Treasury agent with a penchant for thievery of the best bourbon. Using his keys to let himself into rickhouses at night, the “Fitzgerald Barrels”, as they came to be known, became one of America’s most beloved whiskeys after Prohibition with the launch of Old Fitzgerald. Today, the John E. Fitzgerald story continues through Larceny, an incredibly smooth and exceptional small batch Wheated Bourbon. First brought to market in 2012, Larceny is one of the most successful new-to-the-world Bourbons in the past decade. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the brand offers Larceny Small Batch and Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Since its inception, Larceny has been an award-winning, best in class Bourbon receiving accolades such as Double Gold at the 2024 San Franscisco World Spirits Competition and Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year in 2020. For more information, please visit www.larcenybourbon.com.
Bill Varnell is the Publisher of Whiskey Network Magazine® and is the curator of WBSE’s Rickhouse