Heaven Hill acquired the Old Fitzgerald Brand in 1999. In September 2012, Heaven Hill introduced Larceny to the market as “heir to the wheated bourbons that make up the historic Old Fitzgerald franchise.” According to Heaven Hill, “John E. Fitzgerald, a U.S. Treasury agent in the late 1800s, used his keys to access aging whiskey barrels, stealing the best Bourbon for himself. When it came time to dump these barrels some were unusually light and exceptionally smooth and became known around the distillery as ‘Fitzgerald Barrels’.”

‍‍In July 2024, Heaven Hill announced new packaging for Larceny and its counterpart Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon combined with a “Seize Tonight” campaign, which according to the company, is “centered around the idea that the most memorable moments happen when you let curiosity get the best of you and take a little risk – much like John E. Fitzgerald himself. The packaging change maintains the same glass bottle, but updates the label to a more premium paper foil that includes a story in UV ink that is prominently displayed when viewed with a blacklight.

This is an updated review of Larceny Bourbon, which we originally reviewed in 2019.

Light and airy scents of orange zest, apricot, and peach form alongside sweeter notes of honey and sugarcane. A dash of cinnamon spice adds a welcome contrast, and becomes more prevalent once you notice it. The combination is enjoyable but muted, ultimately held back by its lack of presence.

Cinnamon spice carries over from the nose, persisting with increasing intensity into the palate with layers of baking spices and nutmeg mingling in. Light honey and a touch of graham cracker complement the spice mixture, forming a sweet base. The mouthfeel is on the thinner side, but the experience is enjoyable nonetheless.

Honey and cinnamon overflow into the finish. Brown sugar emerges along with light tobacco. Short to medium length, it’s well constructed and nicely balanced, but light like the rest of the sip.

Some bourbons are unique, memorable, and often polarizing pours, and other bourbons are crowd-friendly, easy sippers. Larceny Bourbon falls in the second category, offering a light, easy-drinking sip that mingles sweet with spice and is balanced throughout.

Larceny’s wheated mashbill is less common than bourbons containing rye in the mashbill, but not exceedingly common by today’s standards. Ultimately the flavor profile does veer more sweet than most bourbons, and stays on a consistent track from nose to palate to finish, which is common in wheated bourbons that tend to have more straightforward flavor profiles.

Now 12 years since its launch, a label refresh, albeit a subtle one, makes sense for the Larceny brand. Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon garners a lot of attention as it’s released three times per year and earns the attention of bourbon enthusiasts, including being named our #1 Whiskey of the Year in 2022. But while the barrel proof version is a high-octane surprise every time, the standard 92 proof Larceny is as consistent as ever.

Larceny’s most notable attribute is its value proposition. Retailing for only a little more than it did when it was launched in 2012 but maintaining the same flavor profile and quality, Larceny is a high value bourbon by today’s standards. There are few entrants into the marketplace under $30, and those that remain from years past are typically legacy brands from Kentucky’s major distilleries that have chosen to maintain their value proposition.

Larceny was introduced in 2012, right as the modern-day bourbon renaissance started to gain steam. At the time, there were plenty of sub-$30 bourbons, and a new wheated bourbon made sense, as Maker’s Mark and Weller Special Reserve were the primary options in the space. Both were offered for a similar price, and both were readily available and abundant at that time (yes, that includes Weller). A lower price structure for bourbon in general, combined with a lack of wheated bourbons in the marketplace, left an obvious opportunity. Heaven Hill grabbed hold of that opportunity by expanding its portfolio, with Larceny entering the same market category. Fast forward over a decade, and there are more wheated bourbons available across the wide spectrum of nationwide distillers and producers, but few mainstays at the price point.

Granted, most consumers probably won’t be able to specifically identify the fact that Larceny is wheated by taste per se, but its inherently sweet and straightforward flavor profile is largely driven by its wheat component. Ultimately, there is still somewhat of a niche in the increasingly crowded bourbon space, and Larceny has done well to maintain its value position in the marketplace over time.

Larceny Bourbon probably isn’t on many consumers’ top lists of bourbon, especially those that have continued to expand their horizons into new and unique whiskeys from the nation’s wide range of distillers and producers. Enthusiasts will be more interested in Larceny’s barrel proof counterpart, which dials up the flavor intensity quite a bit. But standard Larceny is a pleasant, easy-drinking bourbon that’s hard to dislike and readily available at an affordable price point, and there are plenty of consumers looking for that. Die hard fans of Maker’s Mark who have not tried it yet should make it their next purchase. I would also include it on the list of sub-$30 Kentucky bourbon staples that everyone should try. Overall, Heaven Hill has done well to maintain Larceny’s quality and position in the marketplace, and as its price continues to remain about the same Larceny’s value proposition continues to grow.