Talking Bourbon is adding some wheat to its diet today in the form of a wheated Bourbon. Today we are tasting Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It has a wheated mash bill meaning it uses wheat as the secondary ingredient, instead of rye.
Larceny is 92 proof, costs around $27 for the 750ml bottle, is pretty easy to find, and comes in a cool corked bottle. There was no age statement on the bottle or the website but after a little digging, we found that it has been aged 6 years. The brand was named after a thief named John Fitzgerald. If you are interested in learning more, you can read about it on the bottle and on the website.
Today we have two guest tasters, Tom, who is a local doctor, and Rob who is a commercial realtor. Both are relatively new to Bourbon, but both have become fans.
Some say wheated mash bill is the best, citing Pappy, while others say it is not real Bourbon. Everybody has an opinion on it, now hear ours.
Taste
Tom: Leather and yeast stand out with a little toffee behind that. Ice brought out a little mustiness.
Rob: Strong aromas of sweet honey. It also smelled young or fresh.
Todd: Young or fresh? Smooth scents of brown sugar, bread, and fruit strike me first. Secondary aromas include tobacco, pralines, and honey.
Matt: Light airy, almost subtle aromas that include citrus, bread, leather, apples, and brown sugar. Nothing overpowering and the scents diminish with ice.
TASTE
Tom: Wood and honey are the main tastes I am getting; some apricot pits and grass are the secondary ones.
Rob: Like the nose, honey jumps out at me. Also, I get a clean fruity taste with some brown sugar and vanilla. Ice brought out some cinnamon and butterscotch and a kind of floral taste.
Todd: Very smooth neat with toffee, honey, and vanilla. Behind that some cherries and brown sugar. Ice didn’t make much difference.
Matt: I get more flavors than smells. Upfront delivers a good combination of citrus, honey, and corn. I can taste the apple I got on the nose along with traces of vanilla. Ice makes the honey pop even more.
FINISH
Tom: Medium long with a musty sweetness.
Rob: Long, very smooth finish with more of that honey.
Todd: Sweet medium-long finish with more toffee and some of Tom’s mustiness.
Matt: A pleasant medium to short finish with a mature sweetness, not like kid’s candy.
OVERALL
Tom: Wasn’t that impressed, and probably would not buy it.
Rob: Good for $30. Light and smooth, especially for 92 proof. I prefer it neat but also makes a decent cocktail.
Todd: A good value, light and refreshing. I like it.
Matt: Definitely worth $30.
Nose 4 out of 5
Taste 8.25 out of 10
Finish 3.75 out of 5
Final score 16 out of 20 barrels.
Well, besides Tom, we seem to really like Larceny Bourbon. It has a decent nose, good taste and a real good price. If you like your Bourbon to be a little more on the sweet side, this is your stuff.
So, while everyone has an opinion on wheated Bourbons, ours is the only one that counts, and we like Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and we think you will as well. As long as your name is not Tom.