Larceny Small Batch

Larceny Small Batch is a wheated straight bourbon from Kentucky, bottled at 46% ABV (92 proof). Wheated means soft red winter wheat replaces the rye that most bourbons use as their secondary grain. Expect a rounder, gentler profile than a rye-forward mash bill gives: caramel, vanilla and baked bread up front, a touch of toasted oak, and less of the peppery bite you find in higher-rye bourbons. Larceny is a Heaven Hill brand, made as a nod to the Old Fitzgerald lineage. It carries no age statement and is built from a blend of selected barrels, so batch-to-batch nuance is part of its character. At 92 proof it holds up to water and ice without going thin. Neat in a Glencairn glass is the best way to compare it with other wheated bourbons, because the tapered bowl gathers the caramel, vanilla and oak aromas. Add a few drops of water to loosen the sweetness and bring out the grain. For slower sipping, use a rocks glass with one large cube, which chills the pour and dilutes it gradually. Wheated bourbons are generally easy to drink, so Larceny suits people who find high-rye or barrel-proof bottles too sharp. In cocktails, the soft sweetness is the main thing to work with. An Old Fashioned is the natural fit. Use a sugar cube or a small measure of demerara syrup, two dashes of Angostura and an orange peel, and go light on the sweetener because the whiskey already brings caramel. In a Manhattan with sweet vermouth, it makes a smoother, less spicy drink than a rye Manhattan does, and a brandied cherry suits it well. A Whiskey Sour works with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, and the wheat softens the citrus edge. For a Highball, pour two ounces over ice, top with cold soda water and add a lemon twist for a dry, easy-drinking long drink. At the table, the vanilla and caramel go well with grilled pork, smoked brisket, pecan pie and dark chocolate. Keep the bottle at cool room temperature, and chill the glass rather than the whiskey so the aromas stay open.