The Last Call

Hard Truth has been one of the most exciting distilleries coming out of southern Indiana, not only for their quality but for their advocacy in establishing “Indiana Rye” as a recognized classification. From the first time I tried their gin, I’ve been hooked, and since then I’ve made it a point to chase down their limited releases whenever possible. This Sweet Mash Double Oaked Straight Rye immediately had my attention. A five-year age statement, bottled at barrel proof, and finished in a secondary charred cask? That is a recipe that speaks directly to everything I love about double oaked rye.      This expression starts with a 94% rye, 6% malted barley mash bill. It is produced using a sweet mash process, meaning each fermentation begins fresh rather than incorporating backset from a previous run. After initial aging, the whiskey is transferred into a second charred barrel, where it rests long enough to bring the total age to at least five years. The batch consisted of ju...

     Dark Arts Whiskey House continues to be one of the more intriguing brands I’ve been diving into throughout 2025, especially as availability remains limited here in Indiana. Empyrean immediately stood out, not just for the striking apothecary-style bottle and label design, but for its ambitious concept: a bourbon finished separately in both red and white port casks before being blended back together. That approach alone suggested a level of intention and control that had me genuinely excited to see how it translated in the glass.      Empyrean starts with an Indiana-distilled high-rye bourbon sourced from MGP. Dark Arts takes a slightly different approach when it comes to finishing. They split the bourbon into two finishing paths: one portion finished in red port casks, the other in white port casks. Instead of transferring the whiskey sequentially between barrels, Dark Arts blends the two finished components together, allowing them to dial in...

     Three Cord has been on my radar for a while now, they’ve put out some fun finished bourbons, and the toasted/honey combo they released before was downright phenomenal. So when I spotted this six-year, cask strength, single barrel double oak pick from Lake Liquors, I knew it was coming home with me. Double oaks are a personal weakness, and this one had that “buy it now or regret it later” kind of look. At $50, it was an easy decision.      This one’s sourced from Indiana, yep, we’re talking MGP. It was barreled January 18, 2016, and bottled May 22, 2023, then given the double oak treatment in a fresh new charred barrel for extra depth and sweetness. That six-year age puts it right in MGP’s sweet spot, where the bourbon still has some liveliness but has built up enough oak character to really shine. The proof sits at 55.4%, giving you all the richness you want without tipping into palate fatigue territory. For the full video review visit the link here: ...