Larceny vs Rebel Yell: Discover the Better!

Discover the differences between Larceny vs Rebel Yell in this in-depth comparison and decide which bourbon is better for You!

Larceny Small Batch

Nose	Banana bread, vanilla, butterscotch
Palate	Banana, caramel, oak
Finish	Caramel, oak spice
Alcohol content	92 proof (46% ABV)
How to drink	Add water
Similar to	Weller, Woodford Reserve

There is a bit of nose burn at first that turns into a noticeable banana bread hint, along vanilla and butterscotch.

The first sip feels hot but mellows out pretty quick providing caramel sweetness and more banana bread with a bit of oak spice. The texture feels somewhat thin but still has some body.

Finish is sweet and somewhat warm yet satisfying.

Adding a splash of water tunes down the mild heat making it sweeter and even easier to drink.

Larceny is not the smoothest wheated bourbon but drinks quite nicely. Definitely not as good as the top bourbons in this category but it’s price makes it quite attractive.

This is a sweet wheated bourbon, rich in flavors, with not much heat that can easily be tuned-down with water making it an easy drinking bourbon that you can enjoy everyday.

There are a few facts worth knowing about Larceny Small Batch:

• Mash bill is comprised of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley.

• Does not have an age statement but is aged between 6 to 12 years.

• Earned 93 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

• Named one of the top 20 spirits in the world by F. Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal.

• Named a “Best Buy” by Whisky Magazine. 

• Larceny gets its name from John E. Fitzgerald who was a treasury agent who used his keys to Kentucky bourbon warehouses to steal barrels and bottle them under his own brand.

• Crafted at Heaven Hill along Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Bernheim, among others.

Rebel Yell

Nose	Ripe fruit, apple, pear
Palate	Vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, oak spice
Finish	Warm, chocolate, almond, oak spice
Alcohol content	80 proof (40% ABV)
How to drink	Cocktails
Similar to	Ezra Brooks, Evan Williams

The nose is sweet and fruity, with a fresh apple hint and a touch of pear.

On the palate, Rebel Yell feels weak and watered-down. There are muted flavors of vanilla, cinnamon and caramel followed by oak spice providing a bitter note.

The finish is long and warm, it brings some nice notes of chocolate and almond but get lost in a heavy spicy note.

Ice releases caramel and vanilla while cutting the spice and the warmth making it better.

Rebel Yell is a wheated bourbon, as it carries wheat as secondary grain behind corn in the mash bill as opposed to rye.

Wheated bourbons tend to be smoother and sweeter. The most famous bourbons in this category are Pappy Van Winkle and Weller, while there are affordable options such as Maker’s Mark and Larceny.

If you are curious about wheated bourbons you should look into Larceny, which is considered the “poor man’s Weller” as it offers some nice tasting notes at an attractive price.

Rebel Yell is not something I recommend. It drinks warmer that what you would expect from a release bottled at 80 proof, with very little body and some harsh tasting notes making it bad.

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Rebel Yell:

• Bottled without an age statement.

• Mash bill is made from 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley.

• Rebel Yell has been a registered brand since 1936 although the recipe for the bourbon dates back to mid 19th century.

• Rebel Yell is owned by Luxco along other brands such as the Ezra Brooks and Yellowstone.

What do Larceny and Rebel Yell have in common?

Both are crafted at the Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky along the Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Old Fitzgerald, Rittenhouse Rye, Pikesville among others.

Larceny and Rebel Yell are wheated bourbons, those that use wheat as secondary gran behind corn as opposed to rye.

This type of bourbon is generally sweeter and smoother than rye adds a distinctive spicy and grassy note the the spirit.

Are Larceny and Rebel Yell the same whiskey?

No, the Larceny was bottled at higher proof, meaning it went through less water dilution before bottling, which in turn makes it more tasty.

Barrel management also makes them different. Larceny was aged between 6 and 12 years while the Rebel Yell for 2 years.

Larceny vs Rebel Yell: Price comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whiskey	Price
Larceny	$29
Rebel Yell	$20

Larceny vs Rebel Yell: Which is better?

Larceny is a better tasting bourbon than Rebel Yell

Whiskey	Larceny	Rebel Yell
Nose	✅
Body	✅
Palate	✅
Finish	✅
Value	✅

• Larceny is not the smoothest bourbons as it has some warmth, yet drinks nicely with a drop of water or with a large ice ball.

• Larceny is a good wheated bourbon with many tasting notes you find in top bourbons making it the “poor man’s Weller“.

• Rebel Yell is the watered-down and younger version the Larceny making it too thin and harsh,