whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Larceny Barrel Proof B521 Bourbon

Posted on 23-August-202128-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Larceny Barrel Proof B521 Bourbon Review:

reviewed 17-August-2021

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B521 BOURBON REVIEW:

I first enjoyed Larceny Barrel Proof B521 (Larceny BP B521) while on vacation a month ago, without any intent of review. I had brought a bottle along to share with family and friends and it was a hit.

Larceny Barrel Proof offerings have become favorites at our house and this one satisfies as well. Of the three previous batches I’ve had (A120, B520, and A121), Larceny BP B521 is the most “wheat-like” of the bunch. The others are far more spicy, almost as if rye were in the mash bill. This is a fine bourbon and one I’m happy to have another bottle of in my bunker.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B521 BOURBON VITAL STATS:

Category: Barrel Proof Wheated Bourbon
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Mashbill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Barley
Barrel Char: #3
Age: nas (Heaven Hill states batches will contain six to eight year old bourbon)
Entry Barrel Proof: 125
ABV: 60.5% (121 Proof)
Availability: Tri-anual Limited Release
Batch: B521
▪”B” First release of the year
▪”5″ Released in May
▪”21″ Released in 2021
Price: $49.95 USD (in Idaho, 2021)

_{“The Larceny line of Bourbon is the modern heir of our historic wheated mashbill, known behind-the-scenes at our distillery as “O.F.D.” or Old Fitzgerald Distillate.”}
^{– Heaven Hill}

Learn more at Heaven Hill Distillery.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

1.4 ounces were removed from a newly opened bottle and added to our Infinity Project. Alternate pours into Glencairns then provided review portions. My daughter and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer Hannah enjoyed the bourbon neat.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B521 NOSE:

Larceny BP B521 smells dusty and wheaty when first brought to the nose. Continued nosing brings out currents and red raisins along with soft and mellow citrus and a little ginger and green pepper. There is sweetness in the aroma as well, which to me comes across as light vanilla and creamy Werther’s Original Caramel Hard Candies. I also was able to detect the sweet nuttiness of macadamia and toasted almonds and the soft aroma of toasted barrels.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B521 PALATE:

Larceny BP B521 tastes much like it smells but with a few additions. I get dry Wheaties cereal topped with cinnamon, a sprinkling of crushed clove, nutmeg and a light dusting of pepper. As on the nose the sweetness is subtle, coming through like light vanilla infused coconut cookies. Still there is dry heavy oak and toasted wood in every sip.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
At first, Larceny BP B521 prickles the tongue. As I became accustomed to the sensation, the bourbon becomes rich and creamy, almost oily in my mouth. All the flavors and aromas are well blended making B521 a nice pour. As each sip is taken, long clinging legs return the remaining liquid to the auburn colored pool leaving behind many large drops to form a well defined crown. This is a simple and gentle bourbon.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF B521 FINISH:

Larceny Barrel Proof B521 Bourbon finishes warm and lingers in the mouth and throat. I get an essence of some kind of stone fruit … maybe ripe apricots and a faint hint of grilled lemon wedge sprinkled with pepper and a bit of light brown sugar. The woodiness continues with toasted almonds, dry oak, and hazy barrel char. And after the final drops are downed, the aroma of freshly cut oak wafts from the empty Glencairn.

MY LARCENY BARREL PROOF B521 RATING: 89/100

Will I buy this whiskey again? YES
Heaven Hill has a winner in its Larceny Barrel Proof releases. I will seek and buy Larceny Barrel Proof bottles whenever I find them on store shelves.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 89/100 to access other whiskies with this score.
To access other whiskies from this brand, click Larceny.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Smooth Ambler BWE Private Pick Review

Posted on 16-August-202109-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Smooth Ambler BWE Private Pick Review – Old Scout

Original review written August 10, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

While I had Smooth Ambler on a vacation, bringing this home and sipping it again doesn’t quite live up to the standard I’ve created in my head. Woody and salty, I find this leaves my palate confused and lost. 82/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA
– Distillery: Midwest Grain Products (MGP)
– Bottled by: Smooth Ambler Spirits, Maxwelton, West Virginia, USA
– Classification: Bourbon Whiskey; Private Barrel Pick
– Age: 5 yrs.
– Mash Bill: Corn=60%; Rye=36%; Malted Barley=4%
– Casks: unpublished char
– Barrel Entry Proof: unpublished
– ABV: 58.4% (116.8 proof)
– Barrel #: 24339
– BW1=Smooth Ambler, Boise Whiskey Enthusiasts (BWE)
– Price: $52.95 USD in Idaho

For more information, visit smoothambler.com and mgpingredients.com/distilled-spirits/beverage/product/bourbon/bourbon-36-rye.html

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn glass with sister, Elora, as well as father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine sitting outside, perhaps in the middle of a wood. Looking up, I can picture seeing birdhouses, standing out in bright colors and decorated with songbirds and chirping. Smooth Ambler belongs with the earth and is meant to be surrounded by nature. Settle in, bury your toes in the dirt and let nature take over the senses with Old Scout sitting in the soul.

Photo by Johnny Brewer on Unsplash

NOSE:

Caramel and butterscotch leap from the glass with a bit of earthy nuttiness chasing just behind it. The nuttiness is very reminiscent of unsalted peanuts, and even still settled in their shells. Deeper inhales bring out a savory oakiness, smoke of a mild barbeque, and a freshly baked rye bread. There’s almost a vegetable quality, perhaps like a potato starch, though it is still very fresh and not at all unpleasant. I find a slight hint of black pepper and sea salt, but otherwise, the spices are very gentle and mild. The sea salt pairs with the aforementioned caramel along with a bit of dark chocolate for some sweetness. I do not find any fruit here whatsoever.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: This is very soft and velvety on the tongue, with only a slight zing of an alcohol tingle.
– Balance: Wood forward, yet still mostly balanced. The saltiness might be a little heavy at times and cover other flavors slightly, but it does add an interesting dimension to the bourbon overall.
– Visual: Carrot in color, there are long legs that disappear quickly, but the crown lingers for a good while.

– Taste: The freshly shelled peanuts, pine nuts, and corn come across the palate first, along with some smoky, oaky sawdust. The smokiness is a lot like the bark on a cut of cooked meat. The rye bread from the nose is here again, with the rye lifting the natural depth of the bourbon a bit. I taste a leather element that seems to be seasoned with a rich herbal quality, like a sprig of rosemary. I find a rich, but odd sweetness, almost like brown butter. The other sweetness noted on the nose is still here also, but seems more confined to a salted caramel.

The alcohol tickles just slightly, but otherwise is mild and blends with the freshness of the herbs. A small amount of sweetness emerges when I partake in the Kentucky chew, with brown sugar apples taking lead. The salt kicks in again and once again, makes the palate quite savory.

To be sure, this is a good bourbon; however, the savory flavors and surprises around every corner of this whiskey make it difficult to predict. It makes my mouth salivate for the saltiness, but without a poignant spice or juicy fruit, I can’t help but feel slightly lost. The woodiness and corn accents make this definitely bourbon, but by also being nutty and almost meaty, my palate just doesn’t know what to do.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. I get some flavors that stick around for a while, but any kind of bourbon heat dissipates quickly.
– Between Sips: Sea salt, fresh and bright rye, and a certain tang linger between sips. I wouldn’t say it’s a citric acid, but it does make the back corners of my mouth tingle a little.

– No More: Salted caramel and toffee color the empty glass with sweet oak. If the pour itself had tasted more like this, I know I would have enjoyed it more, because this empty glass smells incredible.

WORTH THE PRICE?

This is a good bourbon to be sure, but at over $50, the uniqueness of flavors and confusion settling on my palate makes me hesitate. I think the price is fair, and I’m sure for some, this would be an absolute steal. However, as it doesn’t quite line up with my preferred flavor profiles and leaves me more lost than found, I do not think I will be purchasing again.

I would like to note that I did enjoy this bourbon before partaking in reviewing it. I had been in the company of friends and family, and that can have more than enough effect on any pour to make an event enjoyable. And while I would have loved to have encapsulated that joy and carried it to an existing bottle at home, a part of me is happy to have left the bubble around the campfire of my vacation. There, it can always exist as a distinct point in time when everything tasted warm and delicious.

SMOOTH AMBLER BWE PRIVATE PICK REVIEW RATING: 82/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

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Hannah’s Whiskey Reviews
Whiskey Reviews

Smooth Ambler Old Scout BWE Private Pick

Posted on 15-August-202106-May-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Brian’s Smooth Ambler Old Scout BWE Private Pick Review:

reviewed 10-August-2021

SMOOTH AMBLER OLD SCOUT BWE PRIVATE PICK BOURBON REVIEW:

In early 2021, one of the Boise Whiskey Enthusiasts (BWE, a Facebook group of which I am a member) moderators posted, “How many BWE members would commit to purchase a Smooth Ambler 5-6yr MGP bourbon private barrel pick?” After much work and follow up by the moderator, other members of the group and staff at the Idaho State Liquor Division, Smooth Ambler BWE Private Pick became the subject of this review.

Before continuing it must be noted, there was a major methodology departure in the way this evaluation was conducted. First, I lost my senses of smell and taste about two months prior to the review. However, I did open and pour a glass in mid-July just after my bottles were secured. While I was not well enough to conduct a proper assessment, I could tell this was a good one. So I brought a bottle to share with family and friends while vacationing. Our consensus was one of approval.

While this bottling was only available to BWE members, it is a perfect example of why one should always consider bringing home bottles marked with “Director’s Cut”, “Private Barrel”, “Private Pick”, “Private Select”, and/or “Store Pick” whenever they are found in your local liquor haunt. And although I may have set the stage for possible memory bias, Smooth Ambler Old Scout BWE Private Pick (SAOS-BWE) is a fine bourbon and perfect for sharing.

SMOOTH AMBLER BWE PRIVATE PICK BOURBON VITAL STATS:

– Category: High Rye Bourbon, Private Barrel Pick
– Region: Lawrenceburg, Indiana, USA
– Distillery: Midwest Grain Products (MGP)
– Bottled by: Smooth Ambler Spirits, Maxwelton, West Virginia, USA
– Mash Bill*: high rye mashbill 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley
– Barrel Char: unpublished
– Barrel entry proof: unpublished
– Age: 5 Years (age stated on bottle)
– ABV: 58.4% (116.8 Proof) bottled at cask strength
– Batch or bottle number identifiers: BWE 1, Old Scout, 58.4% ALC./VOL., 5 YEARS AGED Barrel #: 24339
– Price: $52.95 (Idaho, July 2021)

Click Smooth Ambler and/or *MGP High Rye Mash Bill to learn more.

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

To achieve sufficient review amounts, alternate pours into Glencairns were made. The bourbon was then enjoyed neat with my daughters Elora and Hannah, my fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer.

Check out her review for this bourbon here!

SMOOTH AMBLER OLD SCOUT BWE PRIVATE PICK NOSE:

When first brought to my nose, SAOS-BWE provides a quick burn which gives way to light fruit tree blossoms, roasted sweet corn and the sensation of ripe berry nectar. This bourbon smells of caramel mixed with allspice, cinnamon, white pepper, rye and a fresh citrus zestiness, poured over fresh cut apples. While I would not classify the aroma as sweet, I do pick up traces of light vanilla, simple syrup, and caramelized brown sugar drizzled over roasted pine nuts. And all the while, its light oakiness and faint toasted wood enhance the gentle freshness.

SMOOTH AMBLER OLD SCOUT BWE PRIVATE PICK PALATE:

On the palate, SAOS-BWE offers just enough flavors to mimic the aromas I sensed. There is a quick bite and even a little burn, followed by faint fruit tree blossoms, roasted corn, some subtle dark fruit and a slight acidity which seems to enhance a hint of brininess. Allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and rye blend nicely with light vanilla, woody brown sugar caramel, and light molasses. Don’t misunderstand, as on the nose this is not a sweet bourbon. It is much more wood forward as faint pine nuts and slightly bitter dry roasted peanut dance with dry, heavy oak, hazy, smoky-sweet char and earthy leather and tobacco. I look forward to pairing this bourbon with smoked meat … maybe pork or beef ribs with some savory rye bread.

Balance, Body, Feel and Look:
The aromas and flavors of SAOS-BWE are solid and well blended, yet when I hold the whiskey in my mouth upon taking the first sip, it is a bit rough and tongue tingling. When my mouth becomes accustomed to the bite, the nectar has a nice buttery feel. As each sip is downed, long clinging legs return the remaining liquid to the carrot colored pool, leaving behind a diminishing droplet crown.

SMOOTH AMBLER OLD SCOUT BWE PRIVATE PICK FINISH:

Smooth Ambler Old Scout BWE Private Pick offers a medium length, warm finish of briny roasted corn, cinnamon, pepper and burnt caramel. There is also plenty of dry, heavy and strong oak pairing with hazy char. And when the last dram is downed, smoldering old oak sawdust wafts from the empty Glencairn.

MY SMOOTH AMBLER OLD SCOUT BWE PRIVATE PICK RATING: 88/100

Would I buy this whiskey again? YES
BWE purchased Barrel #24339 from Smooth Ambler from which its 174 bottles were purchased by group members. While no bottles remain, I watch for and will regularly purchase Store Pick Whiskey.
_{Click to read Brian’s scoring process.}

Click 88/100 to access other whiskies with this score.

SMOOTH AMBLER OLD SCOUT BWE PRIVATE PICK TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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