Larceny bourbon is so good that it’s almost criminal.
Heaven Hill loves collecting whiskey brands. Between Bernheim, Rittenhouse Rye, Elijah Craig, and Evan Williams, they certainly have their hands full. But back in 1999, Heaven Hill just had to have the Old Fitzgerald Brand. Named for John E. Fitzgerald, Old Fitzgerald was first registered in 1884 and in Prohibition was sold to the famous Pappy Van Winkle (yes, that Pappy Van Winkle). Now John E. Fitzgerald was certainly known for having a good taste in bourbon, but it was his acts of larceny that made him famous.
John E. Fitzgerald was a U.S. Treasury Agent in the late 1800s, who just so happened to have the keys to the bourbon rickhouses. As the story goes, Fitzgerald would use his keys to sneak into the rickhouses at night, steal some of the best bourbon, and add it to his own jugs to either sell or enjoy himself. Some call it criminal, some call it creative entrepreneurship. So after Heaven Hill acquired the Old Fitzgerald brand and spiffed it up, they decided to expand. In 2012, they released Larceny bourbon as an extension of Old Fitzgerald and a nod to the notorious habits of Fitzgerald himself.
Larceny is a small batch, wheated bourbon, meaning its second grain after corn is wheat. This combination normally brings out an extra soft sweetness in bourbons and Larceny is no exception. The smell of this bourbon begins with a light cinnamon and peach scent that moves to a butterscotch, honey, and delicate spice flavor. But all of that sweetness is balanced out by an intense charred oak and toasted cinnamon taste. The cinnamon is what guides you through the medium finish.
As a wheated bourbon, Larceny’s biggest competition is the kingpin of wheated bourbons, Maker’s Mark. And although it’s hard to beat Maker’s, Larceny still delivers something special. Not only is it cheaper, but Larceny has a bit more personality than Maker’s, at least in our opinion.
For affordable and enjoyable bourbons, Larceny is definitely on our most wanted list.
STATS: Larceny Bourbon
- Price for us: $25 for 750 mL
- Proof: 92
- Aged: NAS
- Distillery: Old Fitzgerald Distillery, owned by Heaven Hill
- Recommendation: Neat
