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Larceny Small Batch vs Penelope Architect
Larceny Small Batch and Penelope Architect sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Larceny Small Batch | Penelope Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 7% rye, 15% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 92 proof (46% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +12 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$25 – $32 ~$37 less | ~$60 – $70 |
- 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.
Penelope Architect
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Larceny Small Batch Penelope Architect
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/6 spice: Larceny Small Batch 2 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
heat 3/6 heat: Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/7 sweetness: Larceny Small Batch 8 out of 10, Penelope Architect 7 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: Larceny Small Batch 4 out of 10, Penelope Architect 5 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Larceny Small Batch 5 out of 10, Penelope Architect 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10, Penelope Architect 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Penelope Architect: Penelope's four-grain blend finished with French oak staves chosen for their tannin. The French oak adds berry, cherry and warm spice to a vanilla-heavy base.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Larceny Small Batch if you want an easy, sweet, genuinely inexpensive wheated bourbon at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Architect if you want a four-grain bourbon with a French oak finish that adds berries and warm spice with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Larceny Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Architect).