Compare
Ancient Age vs Larceny Small Batch
Ancient Age and Larceny Small Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Ancient Age | Larceny Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 92 proof (46% ABV) +12 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$14 – $18 ~$13 less | ~$25 – $32 |
- Ancient Age does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Larceny Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Ancient Age Larceny Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 5/8 sweetness: Ancient Age 5 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 8 out of 10
spice 4/2 spice: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 2 out of 10
oak 3/4 oak: Ancient Age 3 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 4/5 fruit: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 5 out of 10
heat 2/3 heat: Ancient Age 2 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Ancient Age 4 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
- Larceny Small Batch: Heaven Hill's everyday wheater and the most affordable way into the style. Soft honey and butterscotch with almost no spice, and a texture that makes the low price hard to argue with.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
- Go with Larceny Small Batch if you want an easy, sweet, genuinely inexpensive wheated bourbon with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball (Ancient Age); neat, rocks, cocktails (Larceny Small Batch).