whiskeyfortheages, Author at Whiskey for the Ages

Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B521 Review

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

Hannah’s Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B521 Review

Original review written August 17, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

I had this on a trip during the summer of 2021, and I am happy to report that the love I developed for Larceny B521 has definitely extended beyond the trip. This glass is warm, rich, and all things comforting. Another very good offering from Larceny Barrel Proof Batches. 92/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Wheated Bourbon; Small Batch
– Age: nas (Heaven Hill states batches will contain six to eight year old bourbon)
– Mash Bill: Corn=68%; Wheat=20%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 60.5% (121 proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho, 2021

For more information, visit heavenhill.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

I enjoyed the juice neat from a Glencairn with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.

Check out his review for this bourbon here!

SETTING:

I imagine sitting in a old train station, with echoing chatter and yellow glowing light illuminating a marble floor beneath the feet. Whether you’re waiting for someone to arrive, or waiting for your own train to depart, Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B521 is the company you are looking for.

Photo by Ugur Akdemir on Unsplash

NOSE:

Sweet barrel char blooms out of the glass first, with hints of chocolate-coated almonds, vanilla, and gingerbread. There is also a maple quality to this that mingles with floral notes that are almost reminiscent of rose petals. A deep berry jam is present, but it isn’t quite identifiable as to what berry it is. I find old leather and the main grain, corn on large inhales along with a little bit of white pepper. The aforementioned char definitely carries all of these complex flavors very well without being overwhelmingly woody. It is noticeable, but it doesn’t steal the show, rather enhances all of the aromas. Overall, this smells rich, deep and sweet in a more sugary way rather than fruity.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: This has a very velvety mouth feel, with just the right amount of texture and the slightest hint of a tickle at the back of the palate.
– Balance: Well-balanced. The oak is there, along with sugary sweetness and fruit sweetness. I might enjoy a bit more spice, but this is still a really well-blended bourbon.
– Visual: Auburn in color, this has many thick legs that drop fairly quickly, but a crown does remain.

– Taste: As perhaps as cliché as it sounds, this just tastes warm. This is sweet, with a plum syrup richness and allspice sprinkling to make it interesting. There is a touch of bitterness at the back of the palate that reminds me of walnuts; despite however bitter any particular sip is, it remains very buttery. The alcohol is mild and really only felt on the swallow, and even then remains as a pleasant tickle rather than burning. Letting it just sit on the tongue however, lets the syrup qualities continue to emerge and grow in complexity. There is maple here and maybe a little bit of caramel. And all of these flavors are given the smallest dusting of citrus zest, likely orange.

A Kentucky chew wakes up a new leather, a bit of pear juice and maybe even some white peaches (I’m thinking around the flesh just under the peach fuzz). The alcohol flames up for just a moment before mellowing quickly to give way to these flavors. The oak emerges a bit more here also, coming across as wood chips soaked in water for a while before becoming almost chewable.

I find this bourbon very rich and flavorful, and I am happy for the fruit presence on the palate when it was slightly hidden on the nose.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. Some heat lingers on the occasional sip, and a mild flavor sticks around the longest.
– Between Sips: A mild oak remains between sips, again- very much in a wood chip capacity.

– No More: A sweet and warm sawdust oak can be found in the empty glass after finishing a very consistent pour. There is a touch of nuttiness, but the oak certainly dominates.

WORTH THE PRICE?

The Larceny Barrel Proof line continues to impress, and at $50 USD, I consider Batch B521 an absolute steal. When I think of pours that are quintessentially bourbon, this one certainly fits the bill. If you find the opportunity to purchase, I definitely recommend.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF BATCH B521 REVIEW RATING: 92/100

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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.}

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To access other whiskies from this brand, click Larceny.

WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Individual Reviews

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

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