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Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larceny

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2012 4:01 pm
by forumadmin
This is an automatically created topic for discussion about Storcke's review of John E. Fitzgerald Larceny.

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2012 4:01 pm
by Bourbon Joe
If it's not as good as 46, I might forget it altogether. I'm not crazy about 46.

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:37 pm
by Mike
I have tried this bourbon over several occasions and it does not suit my palate and find it rough around the edges.

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:28 pm
by Bourbon Joe
But "The Bunghole" likes it, so that would make me buy a bottle to try.
Joe

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:54 pm
by Mike
Bourbon Joe wrote:But "The Bunghole" likes it, so that would make me buy a bottle to try.
Joe


By no means is it bad whiskey, Joe........ but I would not buy another bottle......... let us know what you think. I am having another sip (after many, many, sips over the last 8 hours) and, as I said, not bad whiskey, but something about it does not go down well with me. I almost always agree with your take on a whiskey and have often relied on your taste as a guide for myself, so I will indeed be interested to see what you think of Larceny.

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:12 am
by vince
Mike wrote:
Bourbon Joe wrote:But "The Bunghole" likes it, so that would make me buy a bottle to try.
Joe


By no means is it bad whiskey, Joe........ but I would not buy another bottle......... let us know what you think. I am having another sip (after many, many, sips over the last 8 hours) and, as I said, not bad whiskey, but something about it does not go down well with me. I almost always agree with your take on a whiskey and have often relied on your taste as a guide for myself, so I will indeed be interested to see what you think of Larceny.

Mike:

I like this a little more than you do but I absolutely know where you are coming from. I have started to vat this with Old Ezra 7 year old 101 proof. This is another whiskey which I like but I do see flaws in it. The vatting makes both better in my opinion. Give it a try

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:59 pm
by EllenJ
Okay, it's "another" one of those "once-in-a-lifetime" tasting reviews by someone not accustomed (nor talented enough) to actually submit to this group of much-more-knowledgeable-about-tasting-criteria folks who I so highly respect and quickly defer to.

This time it's Heaven Hill's "Larceny", which I finally got a chance to obain and try. Other reviewers seem to want to compare this wheated bourbon to Maker's Mark, but since it's made by Heaven Hill, using (I presume) the same wheated recipe, and aged for (per the label's omission) the same 4 years, I thought it would make a better comparison with the current Old Fitzgerald.

First, about the Old Fitzgerald...

I have several examples of Stitzel-Weller Old Fitz, both from Van Winkle times and from United Distillers times. I actually had to go out and buy an example of current Heaven Hill Old Fitz, and that was not a bad idea at all. Heaven Hill's version, while remaining true to the "Heaven Hill" trademark flavor, is a decided improvement on the version they inherited when they bought the Bernheim distillery and the remaining UD/Diageo stock. Good for them! They produce a continuation of the original Old Fitzgerald 100-proof Bottled-in-Bond which, if you reduce it to 92-proof, SHOULD be the same bourbon as Larceny.

It isn't.

Larceny taste older. Perhaps, since there's no age statement, that means there is bourbon in here that is older than 4 years. Old Fitz was traditionally five years old, but since they don't state that on the label anymore, we can assume that it's really four now. Since the age (which is that of the YOUNGEST whiskey in the bottle, would be 4, unless stated otherwise) doesn't appear on the Larceny label, we could assume it to be four years old; but the flavor tells me that SOME of the bourbon is older than that.

So?

For those of us who enjoy older whiskey, Larceny is better-tasting than Old Fitz. $10.00 better-tasting? Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on what you want. Larceny definitely had more of the old S/W flavor (at least UD's version) than the current Old Fitzgerald. But those who are looking for an alternative to Maker's Mark, which seems to be their target market (In the retail stores, Larceny is shelved with MM, not HH) would probably be disappointed with Larceny. It very much lacks the subtle sophistication that is MM's hallmark. An it has nowhere NEAR the flavor palette of Maker's 46, for those who prefer a little more of what the barrel has to say.

And don't even go anywhere NEAR Buffalo Trace's wheated offerings!

Bottom line: a nice try from Parker and Craig, but (1) not up to the quality I feel they're capable of producing, and (2) not up to the brands that HH is positioning Larceny to compete against. In fact, there are several micro-distiller brands that I feel surpass Larceny, including just about anyone rebottling LDI whiskey. Does LDI offer a wheated bourbon? Maybe they should. (maybe they do).

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 11:30 pm
by Bourbon Joe
Nice review John. After reading it I will not be so "hot to trot" to obtain a bottle.
Joe

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 2:44 pm
by vince
Hi John:

When I went to the distillery they mentioned that Larceny is made up of bourbon ranging in age from 6-12 years old. I also believe I read that in several places as well. I would guess its much more in the 6-7 year range than in the 12 year range.

To my palate it is far superior to Old Fitzgerald BIB BUT far inferior to Old Fitzgerald 12 year old.

I completely agree with your assessment of Larceny as compared to Makers Mark and Makers 46. Not even close to 46 in my opinion.

I usually drink bourbon neat but last week I put some Larceny on the rocks and found I enjoyed it more that way. Not really sure why, I think the characteristic that is a little off putting dissipates some with water. Just my opinion but to me the younger Old Fitz is, the worst it is and as it gains age in the barrel the bourbon gains a complexity and balance that becomes more favorable to my palate

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:28 pm
by bunghole
I happen to like "Larceny" quite a bit. Since I don't drink hardly at all anymore, my tastes have most definitely changed. I've read the posted reviews, and I can say with certainty that "Larceny" is a far better bourbon than the reviewers are tasters. I haven't done a tasting in years, but I may have to dust off the old tastebuds once again. This bourbon is too good to be trashed. New Year's is coming and so is my birthday right after, so maybe a little "Larceny" is in order. :wink:

:arrow: Saint Bunghole :angel7:

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 3:34 pm
by EllenJ
'Scuse me?

It this the same Bunghole who, along with myself, got "disappeared" from another bourbon forum, for (among other things -- MANY other things) our ongoing verbal wrestling match over whether or not he would EVER accept a wheater? :lol:

Love ya, man! :salute:

Hey, take another sample of MM, now that your taster is a bit fresher. Who knows? Maybe you'll like it? :roll:

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 10:26 pm
by bunghole
I am no longer able to taste bourbon accurately enough to post reasonable tasting notes. All I can say is that I like Larceny, and that I think it is good.

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:15 pm
by Mike
bunghole wrote:I am no longer able to taste bourbon accurately enough to post reasonable tasting notes. All I can say is that I like Larceny, and that I think it is good.


Yes, me Saint Bunghole it is a 'good' bourbon, but as John and others have said (more or less) it ain't no great shakes as a whiskey. Methinks it barely averts the charge of being something of a fraud............... 'T'ain't bad whiskey, but shore don't make the company of great whiskey.......... an edge, a sharp edge............ not top class for the money..........

I have sipped this stuff time and again with the pure intent to find it excellent, it always falls short.........

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 11:36 pm
by Brendon77
bunghole wrote:I am no longer able to taste bourbon accurately enough to post reasonable tasting notes. All I can say is that I like Larceny, and that I think it is good.

This is the first time you drank?

Re: Comments on Storcke`s review of John E. Fitzgerald Larce

Unread postPosted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:25 pm
by MauiSon
I'm at the beginning of a face-off between MM and Larceny. The first 2 rounds have gone to MM. I find MM completely inoffensive, but Larceny has a couple of off-notes. I opened the MM a week (and 3 pours) before the Larceny, so it's still too early to call the fight. These have been the only 2 wheaters I've tried and I'm not very impressed. Should I pop open a TPS OWA for comparison?