At the 2024 Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Larrikin Bourbon Co. made a big splash as part of its rebranding away from Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company — complete with a giant, inflatable kangaroo that plays on its owner’s Australian heritage. But the splash wasn’t all about the enormous marsupial, it was also about the whiskey that boss Greg Keeley was personally pouring, quite liberally, to anyone who would listen to his story. Revealed at the show, the big sell was a bonded Kentucky bourbon bottled at the age of 8 years old. Larrikin is an NDP but it reveals it source on this one — Barton 1792 — as well as a mash of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley.
We tasted it and enjoyed sampling it at the show, but it wasn’t until a few months later that we really sat down with the bottle and put it through the wringer. More in-depth thoughts follow.
For what is basically an 8-year-old version of 1792, Larrikin sure does have a lot going on. The nose is quite exotic, surprisingly reminscent of a sherried Scotch with elements of saffron, apple cider, and cherry fruit, all tempered by well-polished wood and some notes of pepper. The aroma gets beefier over time, but it never loses its fruit and spice elements.
On the palate, the whiskey is quite spicy, with a generous amount of allspice, clove, and nutmeg elements creating quite the holiday vibe. As the body develops, notes of spiced cherries and more apple cider continue the themes that the whiskey has already developed well. Some darker fruit clings to the midpalate and beyond, evoking prune and plum notes which linger for quite a while, eventually working their way toward chocolate and sweet, saucy barbecue qualities. The finish is a bit floral, with potpourri notes and some menthol lingering, creating a somewhat dry conclusion that balances out the attack.
The quality is evident throughout, and at $80 (though tough to find), it’s not a bad deal compared to a bottle of 12 year old 1792 which nowadays will run you about $120 (and feature a similar 96.6 proof level).
100 proof.
A- / $80 / larrikinbourbon.com
Larrikin Bourbon Bottled-in-Bond 8 Years Old
$80
