The palate is simple, lovely, sweet, and oaky. It’s what bourbon at its simplest should be. No surprises, no disappointments, just goodness that’s so easy to drink that you extend your arm for a refill—before you need a refill.
Despite an MSRP jump of $50 from last year’s already wallet-wounding price point, it’s still a helluva bourbon. It’s also priced to claim a piece of the secondary market pie.
The nose on this goes for days … bitter chocolate, clover honey, oak, mincemeat pie, lavender, dried roses, chamomile, leather jacket and cooked apples. It’s warm from front to back to down the hatch, but it drinks nowhere near its 133 proof.
I have to say that of the three expressions, Boston tastes and smells the oldest. The aroma is dense and wood-driven, with notes of rick house, baking chocolate, and damp tobacco.
Immaculata (named after the Bible story about the immaculate conception of the Christ child within Mary, a virgin) is a big, bold whiskey that coats the whole palate with cocoa, hints of maple syrup and pleasant grain character.
The aroma is not immediately as big or complex as Series V or VI, requiring some time to suss out the nuance and depth. It doesn’t take long though before notes of dark caramel, black cherry, and pecan pie rise out of the glass, offering up a rich, classic bourbon bouquet.
If you can find this bottle for a reasonable price, get it. If you’re motivated spend unreasonably on stuff like this, you’re bound to find one. You’ll want to pour this bottle for friends who deserve a little spoiling. And this one will spoil any Maker’s fan for good.
When I finished the Zoom tasting, I was skeptical about the 25-year-old whiskey in the final blend. Did it contribute that much, or was it just meant to make this Small Batch Limited Edition a little more special on paper for its anniversary?
It’s been a long time since I was surprised by a whiskey. And a celebrity whiskey has never impressed me. But damn, as much as I was ready to tell you how underwhelmed I was with this bottle, that’s not the case.
Larceny is a wheater that gets too little attention in my opinion. Even the “Wheated bourbon only because I like wheat only” crowd doesn’t seem to go for it. Given the 92-proof of its flagship, I get it; it’s a softy.
