About Larceny Barrel Proof Batch C921 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Old John E. Fitzgerald is truly a legend, inspiring spirits long after his death. Larceny Barrel Bourbon Whiskey from Heaven Hill distillery is named after his infamous practice of pilfering bourbon from the finest barrels for his own enjoyment. With the Barrel Proof line, you too can taste your bourbon straight from the barrel, the way old Fitzgerald did.
Barrel Proof is a brand extension that was launched in 2020. It consists of bourbon that is made from winter wheat instead of rye as a secondary grain, making the liquid smoother in texture. The mash bill is the same as for Old Fitzgerald: 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. The barrels are aged 6-8 years in new American Oak and then bottled uncut, non-chill filtered. The Barrel Proof Batch C921 is the third release (therefore the letter C) of 2021, introduced in September (therefore the 921).
This batch is one of the best of Lancey Barrel Proof. The flavors are intense but balanced, and the high ABV of 61% is not overpowering in any sense. It is smooth enough to be drunk neat, and flavorful enough to be mixed into an Old Fashioned.
Try it yourself!
About Larceny Bourbon
According to the legend, John E. Fitzgerald founded a distillery along the banks of the Kentucky River shortly after the Civil War ended. Fitzgerald began distilling bourbon and selling it to passengers aboard the trains and steamships that passed through town. Shortly thereafter, Fitzgerald sold his brand "Old Fitzgerald Bourbon" to Julian P. "Pappy" Van Winkle for $10,000, a small fortune at the time. Pappy moved production of Old Fitz to his distillery, where it became one of the most famous bourbons in the world.
But if you ask Sally Van Winkle (Pappy's granddaughter), the story of John E. Fitzgerald and Old Fitz Bourbon is slightly more complicated and certainly more interesting. In 1999, Van Winkle revealed that Fitzgerald was not the man nor the distiller he claimed to be — he was, in fact, a bonded treasury agent. At the time, the Treasury Department was tasked with collecting taxes levied on spirits and as such, bonded treasury agents were the only people legally allowed to carry the keys to barrel storage warehouses.
Fitzgerald did have a discerning palate for fine bourbon and would use his warehouse keys to pilfer the best barrels of bourbon as they aged. The barrels, which became known as "Fitzgerald barrels," and the brand were immortalized when Pappy Van Winkle named Old Fitzgerald bourbon after the treasury agent, and added a "Whisper of Wheat "to his bourbon's recipe. By using wheat rather than rye as the secondary grain in the bourbon's mash bill, Pappy imparted a rounder, softer flavor profile in Old Fitz as compared to other bourbons at the time.
About Bourbon
There are not many things more American than bourbon, and although most of it is produced in Kentucky, it can be produced all over the USA.
It must be made with at least 51% corn and bottled at 40% ABV or higher. So why not give this American classic a try?
Check out our impressive selection of bourbons, find your new favorite in Top 10 bourbons, or explore our treasury of rare & hard to find bourbons.
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