Larrikin High Wheat Rye Whiskey Single Barrel Review

 

Lt. Commander Greg Keeley served in the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. Raised in Australia, he is a combat veteran who saw action in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pacific. During his service, he became disabled, and after his discharge, he and his wife, Katie, founded Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co. in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, in 2021.

 

As a former member of the Australian Federal Police, Greg is committed to upholding honesty and integrity. He won’t tell you some grand story about how his grandpappy’s grandpappy’s secret whiskey recipe was found in a locker in an abandoned Australian warehouse guarded by a gigantic inflatable kangaroo. He’s transparent about his operation. Well, the gigantic inflatable kangaroo part is true…

 

Last year, he and Katie rebranded the distillery, which now operates as Larrikin Bourbon Co.

 

“Larrikinism was a reaction to rules imposed by British officials on the young country of Australia. Our whiskey reflects this bold spirit of good-natured irreverence, and relies on character, not ceremony.

You may not know Larrikin the word - but you do know these Larrikins;

Steve Erwin, Crocodile Dundee, Johnny Cash,  Sammy Davis Jr., Pete Mitchell and Annie Oakley.” – Larrikin Bourbon Co.

 

Today, we’re exploring Larrikin Single Barrel High Wheat Rye Whiskey. It is a two-component barrel proof American Rye – just rye and wheat. It is sourced from an undisclosed Florida distillery and, as I understand things, this is a limited part of Larrikin’s portfolio.

 

I was at a Larrikin tasting event at Watertown Wine & Liquor Store in Watertown, Wisconsin, and this was one of the featured whiskeys. Afterward, the Larrikin representative, Dan, offered me the remnants of the bottle in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and I’ll share all the details with you.

 

• Whiskey Type: American Rye
• Distiller: Undisclosed Florida distillery
• Age: 8 years
• Mashbill: 65% rye, 35% wheat
• Cooperage: Single barrel, new, 53-gallon charred oak
• Alcohol Content: 58.4% ABV (116.8°)
• Price per 750mL: $110.00
• Barrel #21

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat. The liquid had a murky look and was the color of caramel. A thin rim created randomly spaced, thicker tears.

 

Nose: I waited about 15 minutes before engaging with the whiskey, then started sniffing, revealing a combination of sweet and flowery notes. I found nutmeg, chocolate, nuts, clove, vanilla, cedar, and floral rye. In my mouth, the aroma tasted of nutmeg.

 

Palate: Larrikin had a soft, creamy texture that, shockingly, offered no palate shock. In fact, that first sip was mild. On the front were flavors of caramel, milk chocolate, and nutmeg. The middle featured spiced nuts, leather, and white pepper. Notes of older oak, rye spice, and powdered cinnamon hit the back of my palate.

 

Finish: I was lulled into believing things would remain mellow, and the finish was good at fooling me for the first 30 seconds. Milk chocolate, caramel, spiced nuts, leather, powdered cinnamon, and gentle rye spice caressed my tongue and throat. Then the rye was joined by ginger that quickly ramped up in intensity, only for a short time, then fell off almost as quickly. In all, the duration was only 1:09, placing it in the medium venue.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: There are some pours that I classify as experience whiskeys, meaning that they’re often one-and-done and, if not unique, are highly unusual. Yes, every single barrel is unique, but not every one is unusual. I can’t recall ever having a two-ingredient Rye with the second being wheat, let alone such a significant portion.

 

Barrel #21 drank nowhere near its stated proof; it was warming on the finish, but even that came late. I found it to be an incredibly easy sipper. The wheat component obviously contributed to the pleasing mouthfeel and may have tamed the spicier notes.

 

Larrikin High Wheat Rye Whiskey is also what I label dangerous, because it is high-proofed, goes down way too easily, and before you know it, standing up becomes challenging. I loved everything about this; I wish it weren’t a one-off, because I’d always like to have it on hand. My Bottle rating barely does this one justice. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.