Kentucky Straight
Larceny
USA⁠
46%⁠
Mash bill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, & 12% malted barley⁠
Barrels used: New charred American Oak⁠

Let’s first look into the brand lineage before digging into our dram. Heaven Hill owns Old Fitzpatrick, and they wanted to extend the line with a premium brand, so in taking notes from Old Fitzgerald himself, Larceny was born in 2012. The name “Larceny” and key pictured on the bottle is derived from the story of John Fitzgerald, who was believed to be a Treasury agent who used his copied keys to the warehouses to “borrow” bourbon from the finest barrels, which were referred to as “Fitzgerald barrels” and is generally accepted they were of the highest quality. This bourbon today is distilled at the Heaven Hill Bernheim distillery in Louisville, the second largest, only to the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Tennessee, in the entire country. ⁠

This is our second wheated bourbon. I enjoy getting to know different mash bills so as to find new flavours in old favourites. I love a high rye bourbon for the complexity it adds, sharing notes of richness and spice combined with the gentle nature of the corn. With wheated bourbons I love the end result being a smoother & rounder dram with more honeyed notes present. Both varieties fitting for different moods, cocktails, and moments in our lives. Next time you grab a bottle of bourbon, do a quick search to find out the mash bill so you can start to build an awareness around what you’re tasting while building your preferences and knowledge. ⁠

Tasting notes: The sweetness of corn on the nose mixed with some green apple. It has a very light feel to it, with each sip feeling both refreshing and fleeting. The caramel & butterscotch on the palate is a delight. The finish has smoky hints but is not heavy. ⁠

What do you think?