Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 93 |
| Style |
Bourbon American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In |
Kentucky United States |
| ABV | 62.7% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $64.99 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Review Updated | 2024-06-17 |
Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B524 Review
For several years, Larceny Barrel Proof seemed to fly just slightly under the radar, a national-release cask strength wheated bourbon that slowly but surely accumulated ardent fans. These days, the secret is most certainly out, as iterations of the thrice-yearly (and limited) product have racked up an array of awards from spirits industry publications and reviewers.
Like its lower-proof, regular release sibling, Larceny Barrel Proof is made from a mash bill of 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley. It’s generally aged between six and eight years, though manufacturer Heaven Hill doesn’t tend to give a more specific age statement for the batches.
The second Larceny Barrel Proof batch for 2024 — dubbed Batch B524 — clocks in at 125.4. Let’s see how it tastes!
Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B524: Stats and Availability
Larceny Barrel Proof is released three times a year and comes with a suggested retail price of around $65. While this bourbon has received numerous accolades and grown in popularity, it’s generally still available (at least in most markets) for close to suggested retail. (Still, I’ve seen it tick $10-$20 above MSRP on certain shelves.) Because there’s no age statement on the bottle, Larceny tends to not command as much of a batch-to-batch premium for older releases, like its cousin Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.
Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B524 Review
As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.
Nose
As with most Larceny Barrel Proof batches, the nose benefits from some time in the glass; strong ethanol influence takes its time to calm down compared to some of Heaven Hill’s barrel proof expressions at older age statements (like the aforementioned Elijah Craig Barrel Proof).
That said, it’s well worth the wait for Batch B524. Maple candy, cinnamon spiced apple strudel, and (to a slightly lesser extent) bran muffin converge for a dense nose befitting a bakery. The apple-forward confection gradually transitions to syrupy dark cherry and — after well over five minutes in the glass — cherry cough drop.
It’s lightly oaky, around appropriate for its age, but this certainly leans vibrant and just the smallest bit grain-forward over barrel influence. That creates a hot but controlled balance, and toward the end of a deep inhale, a hit of red bell pepper provides a nice fresh element to complement the astringency
I wouldn’t say Larceny Barrel Proof B524 has a delicately composed nose, but it doesn’t veer off the rails at any point. The experience is a boisterous example of cherry-forward wheated bourbon. For a whiskey buyer looking to hit certain marks, consider that box checked.
Taste
A quick note up top: This is a whiskey that benefits from some time in the glass, certainly beyond the five minutes we always alot. On a second visit, almost every flavor seemed dialed up after the 10 minute mark.
Spicy and cherry notes coat the tongue early and in generally equal supply. Dark cherry cough drop, red hot cinnamon candy, Luxardo cherry syrup, and even some tart cranberry all rise to the top. The bourbon is rich and sweet while drinking perhaps just a few points below its 125.4 proof.
Those flavors sit thickly on the tongue, carried by a viscous mouthfeel that leads to a lengthy midpalate experience. As the dark fruit flavors build, the cherry shifts to figgy pudding, aided by increasing components of toasted wood sugars. Nutmeg takes over the reins from cinnamon, completing a nearly complete transition from cinnamon candy to holiday dessert.
Based on the nose, I was expecting more in the realm of apple (and perhaps pear) on the palate. Instead, the predominant fruits are cherry and — eventually — dark raisin. To be clear, it’s not a “miss” when it comes to the flavor profile; this wheated bourbon simply zigged decadent when it had a chance to zag a bit greener and fresh.
Finish
The finish is far and away the most oak-forward section here, the cherry-forward wheat spice falling away for a more traditional, lengthy, and leathery bourbon finish. (It might be sacrilege, but I can’t wait to see how these flavors stand out and linger in a cocktail.) A bit of experimentation with added water helped bridge the aforementioned fruit from the mid and back palates through the finish. I wonder if some additional oxidation could achieve similar results.
Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B524 Rating
93/100
Recap
Larceny Barrel Proof’s latest offering is a solid (borderline excellent) example of what Heaven Hill’s wheated bourbon can achieve at a relatively young six to eight years. (Though again, we don’t know the exact age statement here.) Hot out of the gate but benefiting greatly from a bit of oxygen, Batch B524 bursts with some dark fruit and rich wheat spice, then showcases great oak influence through a long finish.
In my mind, it’s certainly in the top quartile of Larceny Barrel Proof releases in recent years, and at MSRP, worthy of a spot on just about any bourbon drinker’s shelf.
*Image retrieved from Heaven Hill
As of 2024, VinePair no longer participates in any affiliate programs. All links included in our content are as a convenience to our readers, not for earning commission — we receive no monetary value from them. Learn more about our tastings & review department here!
Related Reads
Learn About Bourbon
Related Bourbon Reviews
Forbidden Batch 3 Bourbon:
Marianne Eaves made history as Kentucky’s first post-Prohibition female master distiller, and her resume includes positions at both ...
Booker's Bourbon Mighty Fine Batch 2023-03:
The third Booker’s Bourbon for 2023 is titled “Mighty Fine Batch,” and as with all such releases since 2015, there’s a story behind ...
Old Fitzgerald 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond Decanter (Spring 2024):
Heaven Hill releases the Old Fitzgerald Decanter Series twice per year. The bottlings are always 100 proof (it’s a bottled in bond ...
Booker's Bourbon 2022-04 ‘Pinkie's Batch’:
This late-2022 Booker’s release is named after Booker Noe's father, who was known as "Pinkie" among loved ones. It was aged for almost 7 ...
Featured Bourbon Articles
With Baseball Bat Barrels and Cold Brew Casks, Finished Whiskey Has Jumped the Shark:
The American whiskey industry is suddenly in the midst of an explosion of finished whiskeys, but has this trend jumped the shark?
Whiskey Americana: 4 of the Best Whiskey Trails of the South:
The states of Tennessee, Florida, Texas, and Virginia all offer plenty of back roads and urban areas to get your whiskey on.
For OnlyFans Creators, Private Whiskey Groups Are Rife With Opportunity:
Over the last year or so, an explosion of OnlyFans creators have started posting in Facebook's private whiskey groups.
9 Cheese Pairings to Upgrade Your Holiday Leftovers:
Holiday leftovers will be less redundant and much more enticing if you simply add cheese. Check out nine of the best upgrades here!
