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Whiskey Review: Larceny Barrel Proof

We review Larceny Barrel Proof, a higher proof version of the popular Larceny bourbon brand from Heaven Hill.

OVERALL RATING

9
$50.00
  • Carin Moonin is a Portland-based whiskey enthusiast and writer.
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Larceny Barrel Proof

Tasting Notes

About:

Heaven Hill breaks the mash bill of this down as 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley; aged 6-8 years; 123.2 proof; around $50 for 750 ml.
Appearance:
I know it’s a scientific rule that lots of liquid looks different than a little liquid, but the difference in color between the whiskey in the bottle and the whiskey in the glass is significant. In the glass it’s the color of cinnamon, but in the bottle it’s the color of a cookie baked way too long but not burnt. Coppery but coppery brown, but coppery red.
Nose:
This is high-proof, and it smells like it. Not acrid or ethanol-like, but like it’s definitely not your easy 80-ish proofer. Aside from its strength and power, there’s also butterscotch, ripe banana, persimmon, untoasted marshmallow, and the powdery sugar you get on mints. It doesn’t smell minty, but you know those individually wrapped mints that some restaurants have (bless you, restaurants, for your host table offerings)? You know how they sometimes have, like, a sugary powder on them? I guess it’s really just powdered sugar, but it’s somehow finer. That’s what this smells like. I’m fond of it.
Palate:
It looks like cinnamon and it tastes like cinnamon. It tingles on the finish. If you don’t like tingly, drop a small ice cube into it. It’s not firewater, though. It’s very, very pleasant! I found the Old Fitzgerald delicious. But that’s more…accessible than this. This is not for whiskey neophytes, but it shouldn’t keep you from sampling. This whiskey has horsepower, but some of us like that. I like that.
Finish:
Comments:
Don’t make a Manhattan out of this. That would knock you on your ass. But if you want a little 123.2 proof splash of something in your glass that’s elegantly drinkable, have at it. Another nice aspect of this whiskey? It’s only $50. That’s not chump change, but it’s high-value high-proof: It tastes like an $80 bottle.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Carin Moonin

Carin Moonin swapped a 5th-floor walkup in Hoboken, NJ, for a house in SE Portland a decade ago and hasn't looked back. She appreciates Portland's vibrant whiskey scene, finding it complements both the weather and her mood. Carin enjoys exploring the diverse world of brown liquor and its many facets. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Salon.com, DailyDot.com, Willamette Week, Portland Monthly, and others. When she's not indulging in whiskey or writing about it, you can find Carin running, reading, or on the hunt for free samples in grocery stores.

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