Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A124

HEAVEN HILL A124 SHOWDOWN ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A124 LARCENY BARREL PROOF A124 These are two distinct bourbons—Larceny is made with wheat, while Elijah Craig is not—but both come from Heaven Hill, both were released in January 2024, both are barrel proof, and both rank among my preferred quasi-available high-proof bourbons. I sampled these over two days, taking the necessary breaks to adjust my palate to the high alcohol content. ELIJAH CRAIG BARREL PROOF A124 The color is a deep mahogany (similar to Pantone 160). The aroma presents stewed apples, mild cinnamon, a dry quality, and mint, with a subtle hint of chocolate-covered cherry. The taste has a slightly thick texture, followed by sweet corn and a pleasant vanilla note, which lasts into the finish. This A124 is not among my top ECBP selections, especially when compared to the exceptional C923 (which I briefly tried here to confirm my impressions). Nevertheless, it has grown on me over the last couple of days. Many have expressed disappointment regarding the reduced age statement—less than the usual 12 years, and even more noticeable after the C923's 13 years and 7 months. While I generally prefer a higher age statement, it doesn't influence my judgment. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A124 is typically priced around $80. Relatively speaking, it consistently offers good value for a high-quality, aged, high-proof, limited-edition bourbon. Would I purchase it again? Yes. I make an effort to get every release each year. 4.0 out of 5 stars. 119 proof. 10 years, 9 months age statement. Non-chill filtered. LARCENY BARREL PROOF A124 Similar to the ECBP, the Larceny Barrel Proof has a deep, dark mahogany hue (Pantone 160). The aroma is comforting and pleasant, with notes of butterscotch and caramel, hot chocolate, and a hint of the cooling sensation of Chinese five-spice. It has a light and smooth texture that coats the mouth, with sweet vanilla. There are no harsh notes, and the alcohol is well incorporated. The finish features Nutella, oak, and espresso flavors, with the hot chocolate returning, and it has good duration. The LBP A124 is very enjoyable. It costs a bit less than its older counterpart, ECBP, and can be found for about $70. Would I buy it again? Yes. Like the ECBP, I seek out all three annual releases. 4.5 out of 5 stars. 124.2 proof. 6-8 year age statement. Non-chill filtered. CONCLUSION The goal of these Showdowns isn't to declare outright winners and losers, but rather to serve as a mental exercise to examine the contextual elements of bourbon appreciation: whiskies of various kinds will present differently when tasted alongside others. (This approach was taken to an extreme by a reviewer, when he tasted all the bourbons in his Top 100 for 2023 simultaneously—not recommended, even when spitting, which he did. But I'm getting off track). In general, the LBP offers more warmth, richness, and depth than the ECBP. It's on the verge of being exceptional. For the A124 release, I favor it over the ECBP—despite their different mash bills. Fortunately, the LBP hasn't quite reached the same level of popularity among enthusiasts as the ECBP, making it somewhat easier to find (and cheaper). All spirits were tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Nose: On first smelling, it's full and deep without being overwhelmed by alcohol fumes, considering the high proof. Butterscotch, candy corns, oak, and baking spices (nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves) are all well-integrated. It evokes strong feelings of autumn. With time, sweeter scents emerge, like peanut brittle with faint floral notes and a strawberry candy flavor (for those who remember it). Palate: A medium-bodied taste where the tongue is instantly numbed. Once the sensation fades quickly, those baking spices coat the mouth. The aromas are present in the taste. Intense cinnamon, almost like Red Hots, with added notes of milk chocolate, cola, and, strangely, soft pretzels. With a decent amount of water, the palate becomes thinner and the richness of the flavors is subdued, but they persist. Water simply makes it a sipper with minimal tingle. Finish: An extremely long finish. Oak-infused caramel that dries the mouth. Peanut brittle and cinnamon bring it to a close, if it even has one. A pleasant little Kentucky hug warms the soul. Overall: This is a powerful, full-flavored bourbon. It doesn't disappoint. The fact that you can get this for $65 makes it a must-buy. I've often compared Larceny to Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Barrel, or Bookers. This is in the same category. It's preferable without water, in smaller amounts. Water allows you to consume more of the bourbon without losing much flavor. [Tasted: 10/25/2024]

Color: A lovely, deep cherry-amber. Smell: The aroma suggests high proof, meaning I detect a strong alcohol presence. It's not unpleasant, just potent, with oak, rich leather, and what I perceive as molasses, though it could be maple. This nose promises a good taste experience. Taste (served with ice): The taste delivers on the aroma's promise! It has a thick mouthfeel. Big spice on the first sip, followed by cinnamon graham cracker. It truly doesn't taste like its stated proof; it's so smooth! A significant blast of walnut on the second sip. I always enjoy nuttiness in a drink, and walnut especially boosts its rating for me. It's sweet and spicy as the ice melts. Walnut is the primary flavor here. A gentle warmth begins to spread as you finish the glass. Aftertaste: More nuttiness and some charred oak. A slight drying sensation, but not pronounced. Overall: This is excellent. These batches become scarce after the initial release. I would make an effort to find this again. A solid 4.5 stars.

Aroma: Surprisingly fruity for this bottling, with strawberry cream, pineapple upside-down cake, peanut shell, toffee, vanilla frosting, and gentle oak. The alcohol is a bit strong and detracts slightly from what could have been nearly perfect. Taste: Nuttier and richer than the aroma suggests, with caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, fig, date, raisin, toffee, black cherry, chocolate, and butterscotch. Complex. Finish: Extremely long with a spice explosion of cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, clove, ginger, walnut, and oak. The spicy finish is a good contrast, preventing it from becoming overly sweet. The mouthfeel is intense but ends with a slight dry prickliness. So, I've seen some call this the 'best Larceny BP ever,' but hold on; the profile suits my palate very well, and kudos to Heaven Hill for reducing the heat slightly, but it's far from flawless; a bit boozy on the nose, a little sharp on the palate. While I can't honestly rate it higher than previous versions of this bottling, it's still quite good. The releases seem to be becoming more consistent, and Larceny BP appears to be improving, so I'm along for the ride. At $79.99, it's a bargain in today's market.

The aroma leads with apple butter, but also includes orange citrus and cloves, tempered by a good amount of cream of tartar. The palate feels substantial, showing that same spice with added cinnamon. I'm not detecting much fruit, which I usually associate with wheated spirits (including Larceny). The finish is chocolaty. It's very clean for a barrel-proof spirit, not overly hot. The finish does end with a slightly chemical note, though. Adding ice didn't seem to enhance the fruit but did amplify the chocolate on the finish and eliminated the chemical taste, bringing out woodiness as well. It appears Heaven Hill has been refining the Larceny BP releases since their introduction a few years ago. It's improved each year. I appreciate this version.

Nose: Deep notes of leather and chocolate, complemented by butterscotch and a subtle sweet cinnamon. Quite high proof with minimal ethanol on the nose. Palate: Absolutely delightful. Wow. So much dark chocolate. It's reminiscent of a high-proof WDO. I'm quite surprised by this, as I had no prior expectations. Following the intense dark chocolate, I detect a wonderful note of freshly baked bread. Combined, it's like sipping chocolate fudge cake. This is followed by hints of leather and just a touch of dark cherry. Truly exceptional. Bonus: It was a birthday gift, so it cost me nothing.