Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B523 Review
I picked this up at a local store so I could do a Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B523 review…excited! Larceny Barrel Proof products are an allocated wheated bourbon produced by Heaven Hill Distillery and, as its name implies, it is produced straight from the barrel to the bottle (i.e. no water added). Its full surname is John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey…quite the mouthful of a name!
The Larceny Barrel Proof bourbons are aged 6 to 8 years, are non-chill filtered, and have a mashbill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. Batch B523 clocks in at 124.4 proof, which makes it the third-highest proof Larceny release to date. Previous proofs have ranged from 112.6 to 126.6 proof.
Heaven Hills barrels their whiskey at 125 proof and they use oak barrels that are charred to Level 3 (40 seconds) out of a possible Level 7 (3.5 minutes). Level 3 should caramelize the oak’s sugars and provide a smoky sweetness to the bourbons stored inside of them.
Series: Larceny Barrel Proof – released 3 times per year
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: 6 – 8 years
Proof: 124.4
Batch Designation: Small Batch
Proof Designation: Barrel Proof
Filtered Status: Non-Chill Filtered
Mash bill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Distillery: Heaven Hill
Company: Heaven Hill
Bottled By: Old Fitzgerald Distillery
Distilled/Aging Location: Bardstown, Kentucky
Release Date: May 2023
MSRP: $60 (2023)
Availability: Moderately Available
Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B523 Review
My tasting reviews are unique in that I include the notes of several well-known whiskey critics. The hope is that this format will help me and others to explore and expand their tasting experience. After you have taken your own tasting notes, read the reviews and see if there is a flavor note that others discerned that now you can detect as well.
Nose
Caramel, anise, orange peel, hint of vanilla, winter-cinnamon like the spiced pinecones at Christmas.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Mash & Drum: Crème brûlée, burnt brown sugar, extremely rich, coffee cake, coffee bean, cinnamon, vanilla icing, fruitiness like maybe strawberry, a nuttiness like sweet peanut butter, super decadent nose. He gives a nice comparison between the C922 and the B522.
Whiskey Raiders: Bold pancake syrup, waffle batter, pleasant honey and caramel, rich and sticky toffee on the nose. It’s all sweet and a touch savory with a hint of oak on the nose that screams Larceny.
Breaking Bourbon: Rich baking spices | Light burnt caramel | Nutmeg | Cinnamon sticks | Singed oak | Gently toasted marshmallow | Mellow dark chocolate | Rich and delicious.
Palate
Caramel, sweet oak, white pepper, semi-sweet, mild vanilla, mild fig, hint of marshmallow, some baking spices. Each sip gets a little better, a little sweeter, as the ethanol heat mellows out.
B523 is very good, but for my palate, I still like C922 followed by B522 a bit better. I get more caramel and creamyness from both C922 & B522 but from B523 I get a bit more astringency. It is still worth the buy though!
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Mash & Drum: Immediate burst of sweetness, brown sugar, vanilla custard crème brûlée. Mid-palate hits with a burst of strawberry and peanut butter, a serious vanilla punch, very creamy, oak.
Whiskey Raiders: Rich on the palate. There’s a pop of ethanol and pepper, but it’s pleasant and quickly develops into a slugfest of various desserts. Sweet maple, caramel candies, fresh-baked bread and cookie dough. Light pepper, nutmeg and a touch of ginger. Back to waffle cone on the back palate, with oodles of nougat.
Breaking Bourbon: Summer berries | Stone fruit | Burnt caramel | Rich cinnamon spice | Hints of vanilla syrup | Baking spices | Lightly charred oak | Nice interplay between sweet and spice.
Finish
Moderately long with sweet oak, hint of brown sugar, baking spices, chocolate, finishes semi-sweet.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Mash & Drum: Nice long finish, cinnamon baking spice, coffee cake note on the back end, and it lingers.
Whiskey Raiders: Long with a pleasant blend of sweet and spicy that’s all maple, pepper and a fat handful of Werther’s caramel candies.
Breaking Bourbon: Chewy oak | Cinnamon stewed apples | Baking spices | Light vanilla | Cinnamon spice | Lingering.
The Burn
4 out of 5. This means the 124.4 proof alcohol burn is a little lower (5% to 9%) than what I would expect it to be. I would guess this to be around 112 – 118 proof, not 124.4 proof. A 5 would mean it drinks like 100 proof or lower.
Notes and History
Larceny is a wheated bourbon and is one of over twenty brands of whiskey products produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, and the Larceny brand has two different products, the regular 92 proof Larceny Small Batch, and the much higher proof Larceny Barrel Proof which is an allocated product produced 3 times a year in January, May, and September and labeled as Batch A, B, and C along with the corresponding month & year, so Batch B523 was released in May 2023.
The standard 92 proof Larceny was first released in 2012 and the allocated Barrel Proof version was first released in January 2020.
Larceny Barrel Proof Releases
B523 124.4 proof – May 2023
A123 125.8 proof – January 2023
C922 126.6 proof – September 2022
B522 123.8 proof – May 2022
A122 124.4 proof – January 2022
C921 112.6 proof – September 2021
B521 121.0 proof – May 2021
A121 114.8 proof – January 2021
C920 122.4 proof – September 2020
B520 122.2 proof – May 2020
A120 123.2 proof – January 2020
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Great review