Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C921

Rating: 12/23 N: Some sweetness like peanut brittle, then some light minerality, a dry-tart grain, a hint of licorice, and some ethanol. I get more alcohol here than I did in Larceny C920, but I also get less of that sour mash character. I'm not sure which I prefer. P: Kind of a toasty flavor with hints of dry grain and peanut shells before a wave of sour mash comes out, and then rich vanilla with a little salted black licorice. Of course, there is also a big alcohol burn throughout. There isn't so much spice as there is alcohol burn here. A couple drops of water do bring out more of the toasty grain and a bit of that peanut brittle from the nose though. There's still a bitter sour mash flavor though. And it burns a lot, but not as much as that painful burn without the water. F: Bitter and tart, with a lingering burn. A little bit of light caramel sweetness, but not much. - Conclusion - I like this better than Larceny C920 (/23) because there's less of that grain whisky tartness and burn here. This at least has that nice bit of peanut brittle. Still, this is a very challenging dram that I don't really enjoy. It does still give me some of those Booker's vibes that the C920 did, but this is fuller and more tasty, despite not quite having the same degree of Beam profile. Considering the burn, this definitely isn't as good as Elijah Craig Small Batch (15/23). The Elijah Craig is sweeter and more approachable while still having a variety of flavors, despite tasting a bit muddy. The alcohol here really burns in comparison. and takes over the profile. This is a frustratingly harsh dram. And the harshness quickly wipes out the nuance here. That's one thing that the C921 has going for it over this: its flavors do stand out better in the midst of its (even stronger) burn. Unlike the C920, this seems like solid competition for Signatory's Caledonian 29 (1987). The two burn similarly in this case, though I'd probably say that this burns a little bit more. On the other hand, this has a slightly more interesting and decadent profile. It's a tough call. I think that this burns and shows its alcohol a bit more, but it also tastes a bit better. I'm inclined to call it a wash and give them both a 12. That makes this the better of the two Larceny Barrel Proofs I've tried, but wow does that say a lot about the quality of these. I can imagine going up to a 13 for this, but that's the limit of what I'd consider. This isn't on the same level as Elijah Craig Small Batch, unfortunately. The Elijsha Craig tastes a bit better (though not a lot better), but it has so much less burn. I have a sip left and I might go up to a 13 here, but for now this is unfortunately a 12. I can taste some real potential with a lot of water added to this, but it's still hot and with this sample I can't really identify the exact amount of water needed. Even when I try to perfect the amount of water though, this struggles to surpass the Caledonian. It might by a hair, but I think that a 12 is the most appropriate score here. Thank you for the sample of this, @soonershrink ! It seems that Larceny Barrel Proof may just not be my jam.

On the nose we get peanut brittle, barrel char, caramel, vanilla, toffee, butterscotch, and just a hint of wood. Ethanol surprisingly low for the proof. Palate offers peanut butter, toffee, red apple, cashew, cherry, vanilla bean, custard, and cocoa. If you’re looking for complexity this isn’t it as all the notes are on the sweet side, but what’s here is really nice. Flavors punchy and rich. Finish does not disappoint as it’s a gradual shift from the palate bringing in some balancing oak, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon but overall the sweet notes from the palate carry through. Bonus points for being exceptionally long. Mouthfeel is viscous. The best Larceny BP I’ve had to date. The nutty notes really stood out for me. At $79.99, I’d say this is a solid buy.

Copper body with gentle Amber hues. Lots of legs appear and move quickly, but a good solid ring sticks on the glass. The wheat jumps out to lead the way on the nose... Plenty of caramel, soft, sweet fruits like candied apples and caramelized pears. Notes of clove and coriander pop through the rich fruit. Sip slowly warms the whole palate. Not hot for the proof, at all. Front is sweet, yielding to the spices present on the nose before a drawn out finish that shows exceptional balance... Left with darker caramel, toasted oak and the subtle sweetness of toasted steel cut oats and a faint hint of vanilla buttercream. I'll reiterate how much more impressive this is than their regular offering... I'm buying every chance I get

C921, 61.3 abv. Deep golden brown color and good legs in the glass, served neat. Nose is sweet, maple and cherry fruit, and a little grain spice. In the mouth big sweet vanilla oak, some tannins, burnt sugar, and rich toasted grain. Coating and rich. As big and brawney this is, there's only a little ethanol in the mouth. Sweet lingers but slowly gives way to grassy spice in a long finish. No odd off-flavors, just sweet grain and oak. Ice softens the flavors, more sweet malted barley, maple, and vanilla, less ethanol and tannins. Ice or neat, nice sipping, complex enough to keep it interesting.

C921, 61.3 abv. Deep golden brown color and good legs in the glass, served neat. Nose is sweet, maple and cherry fruit, and a little grain spice. In the mouth big sweet vanilla oak, some tannins, burnt sugar, and rich toasted grain. Coating and rich. As big and brawney as this is, there's only a little ethanol in the mouth. Sweet lingers but slowly gives way to grassy spice in a long finish. No odd off-flavors, just sweet grain and oak. Ice softens the flavors, more sweet malted barley, maple, and vanilla, less ethanol and tannins. Ice or neat, nice sipping, complex enough to keep it interesting.

Tasted neat in a glen. Nose: touch of oak; I personally can’t draw much from the nose. Palate: first note is immediately sweet candied pecans/peanuts and a nice rich, oily viscosity. This dram really didn’t bring much heat, as the sweet buttery palate dominated most hints of spice. Finish: candied pecans/peanuts hang around, and the finish is very mellow for a BP. Maybe it’s been the ryes lately and this was my one of my first forays back into wheat, but this is a very mellow bourbon from the first sip into its finish. I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish it were more accessible! t8ke: 9/10