The Best of Class Bourbon is Larceny, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof A124, No Age ... [+]
The American Distilling Institute (ADI) has just announced the top bourbons from its 2024 International Spirits Competition. The annual competition, held each spring, draws some of America’s top spirit judges and is an unprecedented opportunity to highlight leading craft distillers and their spirits among American and international producers. This year proved no different, with scores of up-and-coming distillers scoring Double Gold and Gold medals in the competition.
The ISC designates the top spirits in each category as Best of Class, while the top spirits in each sub-category are designated Best of Category. The Best of Class winners are chosen from the Best of Category winners.
The Best of Class Bourbon is Larceny, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof A124, No Age Statement, 62.1% ABV, 750 ml.
Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof A124 is a high-proof bourbon whiskey produced by the Heaven Hill Distillery in Kentucky, USA. This particular expression is part of the Larceny Barrel Proof series, which offers uncut and unfiltered versions of their popular Larceny bourbon.
A124 refers to the specific batch and release of this whiskey. Each batch is unique, varying in flavor profile and intensity due to factors such as aging conditions and barrel selection.
Being barrel-proof, this bourbon is bottled at its natural strength without the addition of water to lower the alcohol content. This results in a robust and intense flavor profile, with rich notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, and spice typical of high-quality Kentucky straight bourbon whiskeys.
The ADI Judging Panel described the bourbon as featuring:
Pronounced brown sugar, caramel, and fruity aromas on the nose. It’s sweet on the palate, featuring tropical fruit flavors along with the typical bourbon notes of caramel, vanilla, and well-seasoned oak. The finish is long and sweet with a lingering fruity note.
The Larceny range has always represented an exceptional bourbon value. At an average price of $65, the Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof A124 is an exceptional buy and deserves a place in every home bar.
Also winning Double Gold Medals and Best of Category honors were Jos. A. Magnus & Co., Murray Hill Club Bourbon Blend, No-Age Statement, 51.5% ABV, 750 ml for Blended Bourbon and BHAKTA Spirits, 2014 Bourbon Finished in Armagnac Casks, No-Age-Statement, 52.7% ABV, 750 ml, for Bottled and Blended Bourbon.
Jos. A. Magnus & Co., based in Washington, D.C., known for its craft spirits and innovative blending techniques. The Murray Hill Club Bourbon Blend is one of their flagship offerings, named after the historic Murray Hill Club, a social club founded in Washington, D.C., in the late 19th century.
This bourbon blend is a combination of sourced bourbons from various distilleries, carefully selected and blended by the master blender at Jos. A. Magnus & Co. to create a unique and flavorful whiskey. The exact blend and aging process are proprietary, but the whiskey is known for its rich and complex flavor profile, with notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, and spice.
The ADI Judging Panel described the Murray Hill Club Bourbon Blend as exhibiting:
On the nose, there are aromas of seasoned oak and orchard fruit. On the palate, it's smooth and sweet, with spice notes of cinnamon and a hint of clove, as well as orchard and stone fruit notes. The finish is long, sweet, fruity, and mildly peppery.
The 2024 ADI winners highlighted an impressive class of up-and-coming distillers. Some of the winners are historic producers, some are well-known craft distillers, while others are still relatively new with limited national distribution.
All of them produce outstanding bourbons, however, and are well worth seeking out. Once again, ADI has done a superb job of identifying the craft distillery industry’s up-and-coming bourbon producers.
See the ADI’s website for a complete listing of all the medalists in the American Distilling Institute’s International Spirits Competition.
Cheers
