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Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year vs Larceny Small Batch
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year and Larceny Small Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year | Larceny Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley | 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 115.2 proof (57.6% ABV) +23 proof | 92 proof (46% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$60 – $65 | ~$25 – $32 ~$34 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Larceny Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year Larceny Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 7/2 spice: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 2 out of 10
heat 8/3 heat: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 8 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
oak 7/4 oak: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 7 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 8 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 5 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year 3 out of 10, Larceny Small Batch 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year: Penelope's uncut flagship, now with a seven-year age statement. It is richer and spicier than the Four Grain, with caramel and rye spice carried by a lot of proof.
- 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 Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year if you want a well-priced, seven-year, uncut blend with real depth and spice with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Larceny Small Batch if you want an easy, sweet, genuinely inexpensive wheated bourbon at a significantly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Barrel Strength 7 Year); neat, rocks, cocktails (Larceny Small Batch).