Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A125 — The One Fred Minnick Hated 750ml

Let's just get this out of the way up front, because you're going to see it on the internet anyway: Fred Minnick — a genuinely respected whiskey critic, former lead American whiskey reviewer at Whisky Advocate, 20-plus years in the business — put this exact batch, A125, at the top of his "Three Most Disappointing Bourbons of 2025" list. His words, not ours: "Larceny has been on a tear for my palate in the last, like, five years... this just isn't the year for them." His description of the flavor: "grass and alcohol put into a blender and somebody added sugar to it or something. It was awful for my palate." He did concede it's still drinkable — "perhaps best enjoyed in a cocktail" — which is critic-speak for "don't drink this neat while thinking hard about it."

Here's where it gets genuinely funny, though. That same batch — same bottle, same 125 proof, same year — was scored 97 out of 100 by Tastings.com in July 2025. Whisky Advocate's Julia Higgins gave it a glowing writeup, finding "dates, maple syrup, a little leather, and baking spice" on the nose, the palate "rich with chocolate-raspberry Ghirardelli squares, raisins, cinnamon stick, and barrel char," concluding it "handles its proof beautifully." Artfully Bourbon called it "bold... funky, dry, and deeply grain-driven," a bourbon that "delivers something memorable" for drinkers who like "some grit, some tension, and a little mystery." Breaking Bourbon landed in the middle, calling it "perfectly serviceable" without quite reaching the brand's usual heights. The Whiskey Jar found it "smooth despite the high proof," with cinnamon rolls and clove.

So: one of the most trusted names in whiskey criticism thought this tasted like a lawnmower's fever dream. Several other equally credible reviewers thought it was one of the better barrel-proof wheaters on the shelf this year. Nobody's lying to you here — that's just what happens when six different palates meet the same glass. We're not going to pretend Minnick didn't say what he said. We're also not going to pretend Tastings.com didn't hand out a 97. We're putting it on the shelf, at a genuine closeout price, and letting you be the tiebreaker. Worst case, you're out less than a full-price bottle of something boring. Best case, you've got a genuinely divisive, 6-to-8-year-old, cask-strength wheated bourbon for the price of a pizza night.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Larceny Barrel Proof is produced by Heaven Hill, using the distillery's wheated bourbon mash bill — 68% corn, wheat as the secondary grain instead of rye, and malted barley — the same broad family of recipe that produces Weller and shares DNA with Maker's Mark's approach. Debuting in January 2020, Larceny Barrel Proof is released three times a year, each batch bottled undiluted, straight from barrels aged 6 to 8 years, with proof varying batch to batch depending on what the barrels themselves deliver. Batch A125 — the "A" for the first release of the year, "1" for January, "25" for 2025 — is the 16th batch in the series, and clocked in at 125 proof (62.5% ABV).

Critics Reviews — All Of Them, Including the Bad One

Fred Minnick, "Three Most Disappointing Bourbons of 2025" — #1:
"Larceny has been on a tear for my palate in the last, like, five years... this just isn't the year for them." Describing the flavor: "grass and alcohol put into a blender and somebody added sugar to it or something. It was awful for my palate." He noted it's still drinkable, "perhaps best enjoyed in a cocktail."

Tastings.com — 97/100 (July 21, 2025)

Julia Higgins, Whisky Advocate:
"On the nose, dates, maple syrup, a little leather, and baking spice reign supreme. This one handles its proof beautifully, and the palate is rich with chocolate-raspberry Ghirardelli squares, raisins, cinnamon stick, and barrel char. It all ends on a sweeter, warming note, as the char fades into toasted sugar, red berries, and more baking spice."

Artfully Bourbon:
"Larceny A125 isn't your typical wheater. It's bold, yes — but also funky, dry, and deeply grain-driven... There's an earthy funk underneath the caramel and spice — a savory, grain-forward character that sets it apart from recent batches. Think sourdough crust, wet oak, even a touch of tobacco leaf. That funk might throw off the sweet-tooth crowd. But for those of us who like a bourbon with some grit, some tension, and a little mystery, A125 delivers something memorable."

Breaking Bourbon:
"The inaugural 2025 batch of Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon is perfectly serviceable, but doesn't reach the heights the brand is capable of." Notes cinnamon, allspice, walnut, toasted oak, pretzel dough, clove, burnt brown sugar, honey, and a finish of baking spices, toffee, nougat, and raw sugar.

The Whiskey Jar:
"On the palate, the rich flavors of caramel, vanilla, cinnamon rolls, and Indonesian clove tobacco. The mouthfeel is about medium and the bourbon is smooth despite the high proof."

Me, My Wife & Whisky:
"This just wasn't our favorite batch," though still rated the pricing as fair value for a barrel-proof wheater from Heaven Hill.

Tasting Profile

Reviewers genuinely disagree here — presented as reported, not smoothed over.

Nose
Most reviewers: dates, maple syrup, leather, baking spice, cinnamon, walnut, toasted oak, pretzel dough. Minnick: grass and raw alcohol.

Palate
Most reviewers: chocolate-raspberry, raisin, cinnamon stick, barrel char, burnt brown sugar, honey, sourdough funk, wet oak, tobacco leaf. Minnick: alcohol-forward, blended-up, sugared grass.

Finish
Most reviewers: toasted sugar, red berries, toffee, nougat, warming spice. Minnick: didn't stick around long enough to say.

Quick Overview