Hannah’s Larceny Barrel Proof Batch C921 Review
Original review written March 29, 2022
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Possibly the best of the best when it comes to Larceny Barrel Proofs, Batch C921 has the balance other bourbons can only dream of, with every flavor profile represented well. I’m already looking to secure myself another bottle… somehow. 96/100
VITALS:
– Made In: Kentucky, USA
– Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
– Classification: Wheated Bourbon
– Age: nas (Heaven Hill website indicates batches contain six- to eight-year-old bourbon
– Mash Bill: Corn=68%; Wheat=20%; Malted Barley=12%
– Casks: Char #3
– Barrel Entry Proof: 125
– ABV: 61.3% (122.6 proof)
– Price: $59.95 USD in Idaho 2022
For more information, visit heavenhill.com
ENJOYMENT METHOD:
I enjoyed the spirit neat from a Glencairn glass with father and fellow Whiskey for the Ages reviewer, Brian.
Check out his review for this bourbon here!
SETTING:
This bourbon is rich with dark fruit, and really well balanced, and I still manage to find myself craving a salty snack. I’d love to turn to an artisan pretzel, sprinkled with sea salt and let all of the flavors of this bourbon sink into the breadiness of the pretzel. I can imagine them going together and enhancing each other’s qualities to make for a delicious after-dinner treat.
Photo by Mark Zanzig on Unsplash
NOSE:
Dark fruit, vanilla, and barrel char are immediately prevalent, along with a bread component. It’s almost like a boiled bread, like an artisan pretzel. Combined with the initial dark fruit (currants, dates, cherries, prunes, berry jam) and vanilla, it makes for an overall sweet bread. There’s even a confectioner’s sugar essence that makes the salivary glands go into hyperdrive, along with ginger to amp them up even more. It’s the kind of nose that tricks the brain into thinking this bourbon really is a baked good, and you are absolutely ready for that first bite.
The wheat of the mash still makes the nose exceedingly gentle and soft, taking away any aggressive alcohol burn that could be here. Nevertheless, deep inhales do coax out some heat and evoke more of the barrel char into the mix. It’s a great nose with a lot of balance – managing not to be overwhelmingly sweet – and it definitely has me ready to take a sip.
PALATE:
– Mouth Feel: Syrupy. It’s glossy, rich, and oily. It matches the simple syrup flavor I detect below and makes the pour that much more uniform.
– Balance: Extremely well-balanced. Nothing sticks out awkwardly, and everything seems to be rooted together in the space of darker flavors.
– Visual: Terracotta in color, this falls in sheets down the glass. It drops heavy and in thick legs, leaving a clear, almost perfectly circular ring behind, in the glass.
– Taste: I can hold it on my palate for much longer than I would have anticipated, given the proof. Despite the lack of intense alcohol burn, fruits abound with more of all the same dark ones that I detected in the nose. Next to them all now, are an increase in spices, from allspice, to cinnamon, to nutmeg. There’s also more earthy richness found on the palate as well, with the oak being more prominent and a hint of leather.
The confectioner’s sugar is still present as well, melted down to make a rich syrup that hasn’t quite turned golden – but still so sweet. Somehow, it manages to not overtake the other flavors either, standing on its own while letting the other flavors shine. The bourbon is sweet enough that I want a salty snack to go with it. However, I think that could be because I’m simply shocked with the goodness of this, and I don’t know what to do with myself. The vanilla is richer too, adding to this baked element concoction I’m developing in my head.
Alcohol still isn’t too aggressive on this sip, surprisingly. It’s warming, but it’s not painful. A Kentucky chew does heighten the burn, but it also brings out a savory, perhaps briny component. It tastes fine, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to chew this bourbon, no matter how much the flavors tempt you.
FINISH:
– Lasting Power: Long. The warmth certainly lingers, and there are even flavors that stick around as well after the sip is gone.
– Between Sips: Cinnamon, simple syrup, figs, other assorted dark fruit… the flavors of the palate simply do not leave! It’s not often you find such complexity in the pauses between sips, and I’m very pleased.
– No More: The warmth continues to grow the longer I sit with this bourbon. I’m just impressed with it. The flavors remain consistent, no matter what aspect of the bourbon I’m enjoying, and I don’t think I’ve gotten to say that about a pour before. Great offering and only climbs higher and higher in my respect as I near the bottom of the glass.
The empty Glencairn is a spicy sawdust, like a white pepper spice. It’s warm all the same, and a fine way to finish off this solid pour.
WORTH THE PRICE?
This may be the best Larceny Barrel Proof I have had to date, and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of their offerings immensely. This one has a balance found only in dreams. Warmth and proof that don’t burn intensely, and every flavor profile you’re looking for. This one is most certainly worth the price, and I hope you all get to try it. It’s truly delicious.
LARCENY BARREL PROOF BATCH C921 REVIEW RATING: 96/100
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