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Larceny Small Batch vs Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Larceny Small Batch and Old Forester 1870 Original Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Larceny Small Batch | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 92 proof (46% ABV) +2 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$22 less | ~$45 – $55 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Larceny Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Larceny Small Batch Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/4 spice: Larceny Small Batch 2 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Larceny Small Batch 8 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Larceny Small Batch 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Larceny Small Batch 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Larceny Small Batch if you want an easy, sweet, genuinely inexpensive wheated bourbon at a lower price point.
- Go with Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Larceny Small Batch); neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch).