The Last Call

         There’s something about  Hard Truth Distilling Co.  that always pulls me in. They are aging, distilling, and bottling their own spirits in southern Indiana, constantly proving that the state is more than just a sourcing hub. This particular bottle, a Single Barrel Straight Rye finished in a Maple Brûlée barrel, somehow got lost in my collection after I picked it up in early 2025.       What immediately stands out is the story. I’ve always believed the journey behind a whiskey matters just as much as what’s in the glass, and this one has a journey worth telling. It was first aged in new charred American oak for over three years before being transferred into a truly unique finishing barrel.      Those finishing barrels began as ex-bourbon casks that held bourbon for 7 to 9 years. After being dumped, they were shipped to Quebec and used to age maple syrup for a year. From there, they traveled to Bristol Map...

          Every once in a while, a whiskey crosses your path that makes you stop mid-pour just to admire what’s in the glass. Backbone Bourbon Company has been on a roll with their big, unapologetically bold releases, and tonight’s pour, the Old Bones Rye Whiskey Single Barrel, is a true statement piece. Bottled at a jaw-dropping ABV and clocking in at 20 years old, this Indiana-sourced rye proves that Canadian whiskey can still pack a punch when given the right treatment.      This particular barrel was selected by Rich over at Holly’s Package Store in Greentown, Indiana. One of those passionate folks who just knows how to find liquid gold. Backbone’s transparency has always been one of their strong suits. This whiskey originates from a distillery outside Montreal, Canada, where they sourced a rye recipe that leans heavier on corn than the usual rye mash bill, resulting in a more buttery, rounded character. Once the whiskey hit at least 15 y...

          Starlight Distillery continues to be one of the more most well known craft producers coming out of southern Indiana, handling everything in-house from distillation to aging and bottling. Their use of local grains and estate-grown winery products gives them a unique identity, especially when it comes to barrel finishing. My history with Starlight has been a mixed bag, with some releases hitting well and others feeling a bit young for the price point, so revisiting this Carl T. Huber Port Finished Bourbon felt like a fair second chance after several years away from it.      This release starts as Starlight’s Carl T. Huber bourbon, a blend of both a three-grain and four-grain mash bill, aged in new American oak for at least four years. After initial aging, the bourbon is finished for over eight months in Starlight’s own Knobstone Port barrels, made in-house from their winery program. For the full video review visit the link here: ...

          Monk's Road is a label I’ve seen floating around my local market for a while, but one I’d never pulled the trigger on until now. This single barrel cask strength pick came from my buddy Rich at Holly’s Package Store in Greentown, Indiana, and seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally see what Log Still Distillery is bringing to the table.       Log Still Distillery operates out of Kentucky and sits in that middle ground between sourcing and full in-house distillation. They utilize contract distillation, meaning the whiskey is produced at another Kentucky distillery using agreed-upon specifications before being aged and bottled under their label. There’s nothing wrong with that approach, but the lack of transparency here immediately raises some questions.       Some reports suggest this could be coming from Bardstown, which would honestly be something to lean into if true. Bardstown produces excellent wh...

       I received this spirit as a review sample from Larado Whiskey, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      More recently I've had the pleasure of reviewing the other two release from Larado and so far, I've been very impressed. Larado is based out of Colorado where they are sourcing whiskey from Indiana and bringing it back to Colorado for aging along with keeping their releases single barrel. As always there is nothing wrong with sourcing specially when you are transparent in the process like Larado is doing.     When it came to their Rye whiskey, I was instantly impressed. I loved the profile it bought with the age. It was the pentacle sip I wanted when I hear "rye whiskey." When it comes to Roper Reserve they are keeping the same mash bill as the rye but keeping it cask strength along with single barrel. I have high expectations with their barrel selection and excited to see how it h...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from Larado Whiskey, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Now I am always keeping my eyes peeled for brands to checkout and the other day while on that hunt I ran across Larado Whiskey. Essentially Larado is based out of Colorado where they are sourcing a whiskey from Indiana and bringing it back to Colorado for aging. Personally, I think this is a great idea and I love seeing the transparency of Larado's process. For this release we do see something that is quite uncommon, a wheat whiskey.      You might be thinking this is a typical mash bill for such a release, but it is far from that. Not only are they choosing a mash bill using 95% wheat but also keeping a solid age statement on it. Typically we see wheat being used as an accent grain, which is does quite well.   I've had some experience with this level of wheat being used in...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from Larado Whiskey, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      Larado’s Single Barrel Small Batch Rye arrives with a solid introduction out the gate. Based in Colorado, they are taking their whiskey from Indiana and aging it in Colorado. And honestly, the level of transparency Larado is bringing to their releases is a breath of fresh air. There is nothing wrong with sourcing whiskey as long as you keep transparent on that and Larado is. On top of that, not only letting it age in Colorado but keeping it single barrel is going to make the release more your own.     Now for me, bringing a rye at the higher age statement to the market is welcomed. Typically Indiana rye showcases itself in the six to eight year statements. Typically this brings the best balance of spice, sweet, fruity, and complexities without going too high in costs. For the full video r...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.       Three Sisters Rum, is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. For their Rum, they choose to use organic sugar cane to make their base. Personally, I love seeing transparency on the process, shows they are proud on the product. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher.      The great thing 3 Sisters Rum is doing a bit different is the fact they are adding the natural flavor during distillation NOT afterwards. This allows the infusion of flavors to marry together VS just being an add...

     Patrón isn’t usually the brand that gets enthusiasts buzzing, but this bottle had quietly caught my attention for years before it vanished from shelves. When I finally stumbled across it on a clearance rack, curiosity won out. A tequila aged exclusively in sherry casks is still a rarity, and for someone easing deeper into tequila while already loving sherry influence, this felt like a gamble worth taking.      This expression starts with Patrón’s 100% Blue Weber agave and skips the typical bourbon barrel route entirely. Instead, it is aged for at least two years in Oloroso sherry casks, with no secondary finishes or prior bourbon influence. That transparency alone is refreshing, especially in a category where finishing details can sometimes be vague. Oloroso isn’t my personal favorite sherry style, but the concept of full-term aging in those barrels is undeniably intriguing. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/FWZmep91...

     It’s not every day a whiskey catches both your curiosity and your caution, but Dark Arts Blunt Blend managed to do just that. Coming from the folks at Dark Arts Whiskey House, a brand that I've fallen in love with over the past year, this bottle represents a bold, unapologetically unique approach to finished rye. This release is quite the idea on paper, being deemed the "Blunt blend." Essentially this is taking an MGP Indiana rye and finishing it in both Madeira and Armagnac casks. The idea is playing off of the more recent "cigar batch" releases being something to pair well with a cigar. I'll let you figure out why this one is deemed a "blunt blend." Also to note, this is a yearly release on April 20th.      Now the biggest worry for me is the inclusion of Madeira casks gave me pause; I’ve rarely enjoyed what that particular finish brings. Out of the times I've had it they tend to bring over too much of the over ripened fruit note, almost...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.       Three Sisters Rum, is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. The "mash bill" features organic sugar cane with a touch of molasses. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher. Personally, I love seeing transparency and their authenticity stands out.      When Summertime starts to come up, I tend to like sweeter offerings. When done right, flavored spirits can be not only a great thing to enjoy but also work great in a cocktail. The great thing 3 Sisters Rum is doing a bit different i...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.       Three Sisters Rum, is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. The "mash bill" features organic sugar cane with a touch of molasses. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher. Personally, I love seeing transparency and their authenticity stands out.      When Summertime starts to come up, I tend to like sweeter offerings. When done right, flavored spirits can be not only a great thing to enjoy but also work great in a cocktail. The great thing 3 Sisters Rum is doing a bit different i...

     I received this spirit as a review sample from 3 Sisters Rum,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.       Three Sisters Rum, is an American craft distillery based in Pennsylvania. Personally, I love seeing transparency and their authenticity stands out. American rum often flies under the radar, and seeing a small distillery take on the challenge with such confidence is refreshing. Their process leans heavily into traditional Caribbean methods, utilizing a copper pot still to capture rich, flavorful profiles. The "mash bill" features organic sugar cane with a touch of molasses. On top of that their Rums are gluten-free, vegan, and even kosher.      Now white rum can be a great spirit to enjoy neat to experience the true form of a rum or as a mixer. For me, I love experiencing an unaged rum to see the profile prior to aging it. Also, a great unaged rum can do wonders in a cockta...

          Cardinal Spirits out of Bloomington, Indiana has quietly built a reputation for doing things the right way. While they source some distillate, they also distill, age, and bottle their own spirits, and that balance shows real intention. When I spotted this Tiki Rum on the shelf with a 6 year, 8 month age statement, it immediately grabbed my attention. As a rum fan, that kind of age on an Indiana-made rum is not something you see every day, and I went into this one genuinely curious and cautiously optimistic. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/sKQ8zqddqaU . Age Statement: 6 years 8 months. ABV: 40%. Mash bill: Cane juice & molasses. Area of Distillation: Bloomington, Indiana. Appearance:  Pale gold. On the nose:      The nose opens with a sweet, inviting fruitiness led by pineapple, followed by a gentle but unmistakable rum funk that leans Jamaican in spirit without going full hogo. Warm sp...

I received this spirit as a review sample from the World Whiskey Society, linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.     Let's just pull off the bandaid real quick here, I LOVE decanter style bottles. The more unique the better. It reminds me of how we use to have decanter bottles more often back in the day. Now a days we associate a "fancy bottle" with bad spirits. And while that happens (probability) more times than not, I'll still appreciate the look. Now this release from the World Whiskey Society is a collaboration project with Ducks Unlimited, hence the shotgun shell bottle.          When it comes to the spirit inside, this is also right up my alley. We have an American single malt, a now official label for the TTB being distilled in Oklahoma. Now while there is no age statement on this release, the other bottlings I've had from this region have already been very solid. For the full video re...