Overview: If the Larceny Small Batch is what you reach for on a Tuesday night without overthinking it, the Barrel Proof is what you open when you want to understand what that same whiskey is actually capable of. Same 68/20/12 wheated mashbill, same Heaven Hill rickhouses, same Fitzgerald-barrel heritage — but nothing added, nothing filtered, and a proof that makes the whole profile louder and more serious.

For years, barrel proof wheated bourbon meant chasing Weller CYPB at three times retail or getting lucky at a barrel pick event. Larceny Barrel Proof changed that equation. Heaven Hill releases it three times a year on a predictable schedule, wide enough distribution that a patient shopper can usually find one without a treasure hunt. I came across this Batch C924 at Total Wine — didn’t plan to buy it, saw it on the shelf, and that was that.

The Batch Code

Larceny Barrel Proof uses a consistent naming convention worth knowing before you buy:

Code	Meaning
C	Third release of the year — September
9	Month (September = 9)
24	Year (2024)

Heaven Hill releases three batches annually: A (January), B (May), and C (September). Each batch is a separate blend, bottled at whatever proof the barrels produced — which is why the proof shifts from release to release. C924 came out at 125.1. That number matters when you’re buying blind.

Age: NAS (6–8 year blend)

Proof: 125.1 (62.55% ABV)

Mashbill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley

Nose: Respect the proof first — give it ten minutes in the glass before you go in. Once the ethanol backs off, what opens up is rich and genuinely impressive for a wheated bourbon: buttercream, dark brown sugar, toffee, and a deep hit of warm maple syrup. Cinnamon comes through with some sharpness behind it — less baking spice, more Red Hots candy — and seasoned oak frames the whole thing without dominating it. The wheat character from the Small Batch is still recognizable here, just amplified and given more structure by the proof. Inviting once it settles.

Palate: This is where the barrel proof format earns its price. The mouthfeel is thick and oily in a way the 92-proof version simply can’t replicate — demerara sugar and dark molasses lead, followed by buttercream and a wave of dark fruit mid-palate that reads like stewed apricot and dark cherry pie filling. The wood structure asserts itself with barrel char, leather, and that sharp Red Hots cinnamon sizzle that pushes back against all the sweetness. It’s a lot happening at once, but the wheat keeps everything from going harsh. Nothing here tips into bitter or aggressive territory. At 125 proof that’s not a given — this batch handles the heat well.

Finish: Long, warming, and complex — the finish is the best part of this bottle. The sweetness fades and gives way to clove, nutmeg, and heavy oak, the kind of dry warmth that works its way down slowly. Just when the spice peaks, a soft return of vanilla cream and orange zest rounds it out. Clean landing for the proof. The whole thing lingers long enough to make you think about the next sip before the current one is done.

Final Thoughts: The easiest comparison for Larceny Barrel Proof is Weller CYPB — same category, similar price when Weller is actually at retail, wheated bourbon at barrel strength. The honest assessment is that on a good batch like C924, it’s a legitimate alternative rather than a consolation prize. The wheat character holds up at full proof in a way that high-rye barrel proof expressions don’t always replicate — there’s a richness and softness underneath the heat that keeps it from being a one-note experience.

At $65–75 with regular release cadence and real retail availability, this is one of the better-value cask-strength bottles on the shelf right now. If you see it, buy it. The batch-to-batch proof variation means C924 won’t be exactly what the next release delivers — but the floor on this line is high enough that it’s not much of a gamble either way.

If You Liked This, Try…

• Larceny Small Batch — The starting point for understanding what Heaven Hill’s wheated mashbill tastes like without the barrel proof amplification. A useful before/after comparison.
• Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof — The high-rye counterpoint at a similar proof and price. Where Larceny BP is rich and wheat-driven, Rare Breed is spicier and drier. Worth trying both to understand how much the grain bill shapes a barrel proof expression.

Rating: Top Shelf — Rating system explained