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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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WHISKEY TRAITS, FLAVOR NOTES AND PROFILE GRAPH:

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Brian’s Whiskey Reviews
Individual Reviews

Larceny Barrel Proof Batch A121 Review

Posted on 03-May-202128-June-2022 by whiskeyfortheages

Hannah’s Larceny Barrel Proof Batch A121 Review

Original review written April 27, 2021

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Incredibly complex bourbon that brings heat, uniqueness and quality, all at a reasonable price. I definitely recommend Larceny Barrel Proof Batch A121. 93/100

VITALS:

– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Wheated Bourbon
– Age: nas (Heaven Hill states batches will contain 6 to 8 year old bourbon)
– Mash Bill: Corn=68%; Wheat=20%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 57.4% (114.8 proof)
– Price: $49.95 USD in Idaho

For more information, visit heavenhill.com

ENJOYMENT METHOD:

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

Check out his review of this bourbon here!

SETTING:

The texture of this one begs to be enjoyed beach side, with warm sand surrounding you and a crisp, salty air on your tongue with Larceny A121. It’s hot; waves are crashing; gulls are crying and this bourbon might as well be the center of the universe. The sun could be anywhere – it doesn’t really matter with this one. Just raise a toast to Mother Nature, and you’re good.

Photo by Ethan Robertson on Unsplash

NOSE:

Immediate impressions are that this has a dark molasses sweetness to it along with currants, black pepper, and dusty and smoky grains. There is a briny quality to this also that mixes with a roasted/salted peanut that certainly makes the mouth water. I find a strange essence here too, almost like… broccoli? But not in the sense of a hate vegetable, rather isolate the slight pepperiness that comes with the broccoli.

The longer I nose, the more a red hot candy and cinnamon flavor emerges, which is certainly unique and not found in too many other whiskeys we have had. The alcohol tinge is stronger than I would anticipate from a wheated bourbon – especially since the ABV is relatively moderate. It should be noted that this alcohol bite could be from the red hot candy sensation too.

Overall, I’d say that this is quite a complex nose, and it certainly is very inviting.

PALATE:

– Mouth Feel: There is a textured raspy quality to this that makes each sip interesting and keeps me going back for more.
– Balance: There are a LOT of flavors going on here, and yet, I feel like the balance is completely solid and certainly very complex.
– Visual: Tawny in color, there are long, clinging legs that break off from a ring/would-be crown.

– Taste: The dusty grains come across the palate first, and it is almost as though the grain is still raw, and I can taste the stems and seeding pods at the top. The black pepper from the nose has mellowed into a more undefinable pepper, but the bite is definitely still to be found. I can also detect a sweet bitterness, perhaps a burnt caramel that chases after the pepper with the faintest hint of yellow sponge cake.

Strangely enough, there is also an almond component to this in the way of barely-there sweetness and as a layer of richness. It blends well with the wood of this bourbon, which I would say is distinctly oak and strong, charred oak at that.

There is less fruit here on the palate, which is a bit of a shame, save maybe for seasoned raisins or dried prunes. Nevertheless, it’s still very rich with its spices, which contribute quite well to the alcohol burn that is still surprising to me with its 114 proof. A Kentucky chew makes the dark, dried fruits even stronger and brings out stronger flavors of allspice.

FINISH:

– Lasting Power: Medium. The warmth definitely lingers around for a while, along with a subtle aftertaste.
– Between Sips: I think the grains are the most noticeable between sips, but there is a fruit that wants to be there that doesn’t seem quite as dark as the fruits noted on the actual taste. It’s very enjoyable!

– No More: It does seem to get a little more bitter the further into the glass I get, but I don’t think it reduces the quality of this bourbon in the slightest. The blend is still solid, and if anything, I think this bitterness (which seems to come from walnuts?) only enhances the complexity of this pour.

The empty Glencairn is a spicy oak with black pepper and rich warmth. A great way to finish a great bourbon.

WORTH THE PRICE?

Like my other reviews thus far on Larceny Barrel Proofs, I find this one incredibly enjoyable for something priced at $50, a higher proof, AND a wheated bourbon. I think this line fills a gap in the bourbon industry, and are definitely must-haves in bunker collections. With such unique, complex flavors to offer, it’s impossible to go wrong picking up a bottle of Larceny A121.

LARCENY BARREL PROOF BATCH A121 REVIEW RATING: 93/100

Click to see Hannah’s rating process

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