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Old Forester 1870 Original Batch vs Larceny Small Batch
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 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 | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch | Larceny Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 92 proof (46% ABV) +2 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$25 – $32 ~$22 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Larceny Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch Larceny Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 4/2 spice: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 2 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 8 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 5 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- 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 Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series.
- Go with Larceny Small Batch if you want an easy, sweet, genuinely inexpensive wheated bourbon at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch); neat, rocks, cocktails (Larceny Small Batch).