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...

     Some bottles just sit on the shelf and stare at you. This one did that to me for nearly a year. Old Blue Single Barrel Cask Strength from Wood Hat Spirits was part of a group store pick here in Indiana, originally hovering near the $90–$100 mark before eventually dropping to half price. Once the price fell, curiosity finally won.      Information on this bottling is surprisingly limited. The label states that it is grown, aged, distilled, and bottled by Wood Hat, which is a huge plus in the craft world. As a straight corn whiskey, we know the mash bill is at least 80% corn, but the remaining 20% is undisclosed. There is no age statement, and barrel size is not specified. I reached out for clarification but never received a response. So we go in with what’s in the glass.      Being craft and potentially made with smaller barrels, there are a lot of variables at play. Smaller cooperage can accelerate oak influence, and with a high-corn mas...

     West Fork Whiskey Company out of Westfield, Indiana continues to prove they are serious about the craft side of bourbon. This particular release is a high corn bourbon, distilled, aged, and bottled in-house, then finished in cherry brandy barrels. What really caught my attention was the mash bill: 100% corn. Yes, that qualifies as bourbon. After four years in new American oak, it spent another year and a half in cherry brandy barrels, bringing the total age to five and a half years. On paper, that is a fascinating experiment.      A 100% corn mash bill is naturally going to lean sweeter and softer, without the spice from rye or the added structure from malted barley or wheat. That means the finishing barrel has a huge role in shaping the final product. In this case, the cherry brandy cask is not a background note. It is the lead singer. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/3vL3C8_7mts . Age Statement: 4 years. (Single ...

     Still Austin has been one of those Texas distilleries that quietly keeps earning my trust bottle after bottle. Based out of Austin, Texas, they’ve been doing some genuinely impressive work in the craft space, and once their standard rye finally started showing up here in Indiana, it didn’t take long for me to become a fan. When I saw the cask strength version hit shelves, it was an instant buy, no hesitation.      Texas whiskey can be polarizing, and I get why. But I’ve personally had great experiences with Still Austin, Balcones, Garrison Brothers, and others, so I was genuinely excited to see how they’d handle a barrel-proof rye. It’s distilled, aged, and bottled in Texas, which matters because the climate plays a massive role in how these whiskeys mature. The heat accelerates interaction with the barrel, and Still Austin leans into that rather than trying to mask it. Kept at cask strength, this whiskey doesn’t hide behind filtration or dilution....

     High West is one of those brands that pulled me in early on, and I’ve stuck around ever since. From Campfire being one of my first love-at-first-sip bottles to always keeping Double Rye picks on hand, they’ve earned a lot of goodwill with me over the years. That said, I’ve also been vocal about their pricing creeping up while some releases haven’t quite hit the same highs as earlier versions. So when I saw a bottled-in-bond rye made entirely from High West’s own distillate, I was curious… and cautiously optimistic.      This release feels like a statement bottle. No sourcing, no blending gymnastics — just 100% High West rye, bottled in bond, and ready to stand on its own. This Straight Rye Whiskey is bottled in bond at 50% ABV and aged a minimum of four years, meeting all the classic Bottled-in-Bond requirements. While four years isn’t a headline-grabbing age, this whiskey makes it clear that age statements don’t tell the whole story. For the full vide...

     Journeyman Distillery continues to prove why they’re one of the most exciting craft producers in the Midwest. Corsets, Whips, and Honey is a brand-new, distillery-exclusive release built on their 100% wheat whiskey and infused with real Michigan honey. Originally rooted in Michigan and now expanding into Valparaiso, Indiana, Journeyman handles everything in-house, and that commitment to transparency and local collaboration shows up immediately with this bottle.      This is not a honey-finished whiskey or a flavored gimmick. Real honey from Great Lakes Bee Company is blended directly into Journeyman’s Corsets, Whips, and Wheat whiskey. It’s Michigan through and through, and that local focus adds a lot of character before the glass is even poured. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/P3EM0ps7nC4 . Age Statement: N/A. ABV: 35%. Mash bill: 100% Michigan wheat. Area of Distillation: Three Oaks, Michigan. Appearance: ...

         I received this spirit as a review sample from JT Meleck,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      J.T. Meleck is doing something genuinely special in the American craft whiskey space, and it starts long before the whiskey ever touches a barrel. Based in Louisiana, J.T. Meleck farms over 20 acres of rice fields, a crop deeply rooted in the region’s culture and history. Instead of simply selling that rice, they decided to ask a much bigger question. What happens if you turn it into whiskey?      This bottle represents the full commitment to that idea. J.T. Meleck grows, harvests, distills, ages, and bottles everything on site, using 100 percent rice and aging the whiskey in new charred American oak. Rice whiskey is something most of us associate with Japan, not the United States, which makes this release immediately intriguing. This particular bottle is their high pr...

     Journeyman Distillery has become a familiar name on this channel, and for good reason. Originally rooted in Michigan and now operating a second distillery in Indiana, Journeyman continues to push craft spirits forward while keeping production fully in-house. More recently, some of the releases that once felt exclusive to Michigan have started showing up in Indiana as well, which is always a welcome sight.      Fine Girl Brandy immediately stands out as something a little different from the usual whiskey fare. Brandy doesn’t show up often on the channel, but it’s a category I genuinely enjoy when done well. After having a pour of this at the bar months ago and remembering it fondly, I was excited to revisit it with a focused tasting and see how it holds up on its own.      Fine Girl Brandy is made using Vidal Blanc grapes sourced from St. Julian Vineyards, a longtime Michigan producer known for both wine and brandy. Journeyman distills th...

 Journeyman Distillery Cherrywood Smoked Single Malt Whiskey Review.      Journeyman Distillery has become a familiar name on this channel for good reason. They continue to push boundaries within the craft space while staying rooted in doing things the hard way, distilling, aging, and bottling everything in-house. With locations in Three Oaks, Michigan and a newer Indiana outpost, Journeyman has positioned itself as one of the more creative forces in American craft whiskey.      The moment I saw the label for this Cherrywood Smoked Single Malt, I knew it was something I wanted to explore. American single malts already have my attention, but when a distillery starts experimenting with smoked grain, especially using cherrywood, that curiosity ramps up fast. This whiskey is made from 100% single malt that was cherrywood smoked prior to distillation.      The inspiration behind the release pays tribute to the cherrywood trees introduced to t...

     West Fork Whsky Company has become a familiar and trusted name on my back bar, and for good reason. Distilling, aging, and bottling all of their spirits in Indiana, they’ve consistently shown a willingness to experiment while still respecting the core of what makes good whiskey enjoyable. This Hot Honey Finished Bourbon is part of an ongoing collaboration with local spice expert King Butter, and Batch 3 marks a noticeable evolution in the series.      Having spent time with both Batch 1 and Batch 2, I came into this release with a mix of excitement and curiosity. The first batch was bold and cask strength, the second leaned heavily into spice. Batch 3 introduces a higher age statement and promises a better balance between bourbon character and finishing influence. I had tasted this previously at the distillery, but a fresh pour at home always tells the real story.      The finishing process is what sets this whiskey apart. An ex-bourbon ...

     Chattanooga Whiskey is one of those distilleries that quietly grows on you until one day you realize half your shelf has their logo on it. For a long time, their bottles felt like the “bridesmaid, never the bride” option for me, always interesting, just never the one I grabbed first. Lately though, that’s changed in a big way. The more I’ve explored their lineup, the more I’ve come to appreciate how thoughtful and transparent their approach is, especially as a true grain-to-glass craft distillery.      This Straight Rye Malt is a perfect example of why Chattanooga keeps pulling me back in. It’s not the easiest bottle to find in my Indiana market, so when I spotted one, I didn’t hesitate. Chattanooga doesn’t give exact mash bill percentages, but they do something even better than most brands: they tell you exactly what’s in the whiskey, right on the bottle. This rye-forward mash is built around pale malted rye, supported by yellow corn, caramel malted r...

     Three Floyds Distilling is a name I find myself revisiting more often than I ever expected. Based out of Munster, Indiana, they built their reputation in the beer world with cult favorites like Zombie Dust and Gumballhead before shifting serious focus toward distillation. Over the last several years, that same creative energy has clearly carried over into their spirits lineup. Wolfborne immediately stood out to me because it represents something truly uncommon in American whiskey, a bottled in bond malted wheat whiskey built around a mash bill that most distilleries would never attempt. As soon as I saw the grain breakdown, I knew this was a bottle I had to spend time with.       Wolforne is distilled, aged, and bottled entirely by Three Floyds using a single pot still and meets all bottled in bond requirements. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/b2ah02Sc1v8 . Age Statement: 4 years (bottled in bond). ABV: 50%. ...

       Journeyman Distillery has built a strong reputation in the craft whiskey world, operating out of Three Oaks, Michigan, with a newer presence in Indiana. Over the years, they’ve released some genuinely impressive bottles, even if a few have missed the mark. Their standard Featherbone Bourbon has been a consistent performer for me, so when a local Indiana chain store released a single barrel pick at cask strength, curiosity got the better of me.      Single barrels from Journeyman are not something we see every day. That exclusivity, combined with barrel proof presentation, certainly sets expectations a little higher. It’s aged in standard 53-gallon barrels and presented at cask strength. Like most of Journeyman’s lineup, it is also kosher certified, which is a significant undertaking in the production process. There is no official age statement, though this barrel was filled in 2018. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://yo...

       My introduction to Bear Wallow Distillery came years ago through their core releases, and I immediately appreciated how proudly local their approach was. They distill, age, and bottle everything in-house, relying on Indiana grains and keeping things small enough that most of their whiskey never even makes it out of their own region. That kind of dedicated local following says a lot about a distillery’s character. So when I learned they were releasing long-aged single barrel offerings near the end of 2025, I made it a point to stop by while visiting the area, and I left with this bottle in hand, excited to dive deeper.      This single barrel straight bourbon is a big step forward for Bear Wallow. Coming in at 64.7% ABV and aged 8 years and 4 months, it carries a mash bill of 65% corn, 25% wheat, and 10% malted barley. No rye at all, which allows the wheat to take a more expressive supporting role. Everything in this bottle is Indiana to the core...

     Four Finger Distillery is one of those craft producers that continues quietly building something special, and their Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon feels like a meaningful milestone for where the distillery is today. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Four Finger produces nearly everything in-house, from gin and vodka to absinthe, rye, and even peated bourbon. Released in 2025, this bourbon follows their Bottled in Bond rye and continues the distillery’s push toward more mature, transparent, and confidently crafted whiskey.      The name “Four Finger” itself tells a story. Formerly known as 1205 Distillery, the brand changed their name to pay tribute to the founder and master distiller Brad when he lost his pinky finger during the construction of the distillery. Rather than treating it lightly, the distillery embraced it as part of their identity, creating a name that stands out just as much as the whiskey itself. For the full video review visit the link...

          I received this spirit as a review sample from Brother Justus,  linked here . It is important to clarify this did not impact the ratings of this review.      American single malt continues to be one of the most exciting categories in whiskey right now, and Brother Justus is clearly aiming to push that frontier even further. Their Cold Peated American Single Malt immediately caught my attention, not just for the concept, but for the story behind it.      Brother Justus, the distillery, draws inspiration from a real historical figure during Prohibition. Brother Justus believed that while whiskey was illegal to make it wasn’t immoral. Through his knowledge of copper pot stills and whiskey, he assisted over 1,600 family owned distilleries make a living during the times of Prohibition. That mindset of independence and craftsmanship feels like it carries forward into everything this distillery does.   ...

     Watershed Distillery, based out of Ohio, has quietly been building a strong reputation across several spirit categories, from gin and brandy to finished whiskeys and now straight bourbon.Batch No. 3 was one of the bottles I brought home after a trip to Ohio in early 2025, picked up with genuine excitement after having some excellent past experiences with Watershed releases. Between prior barrel picks and a maple cask-finished expression I really enjoyed, this felt like a safe purchase walking out of the store. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/uWqsQNQvJ3Q . Age Statement: 4 Years. (Batch 003). ABV: 61.1%. (Cask strength). Mash bill: N/A. Area of Distillation: Columbus, Ohio. Appearance: Light golden hue. On the nose:      The nose is surprisingly restrained for something north of 120 proof. Ethanol is the dominant player, followed by dusty corn and a light grain-forward note that leans raw rather than sweet. There’...

     Hard Truth Distilling has quickly become one of Indiana’s breakout names, known first for its exceptional sweet mash ryes and now steadily expanding its bourbon lineup. When I first heard about their new Double Oak release, I knew I had to track down a bottle. Thankfully, a family member visiting the distillery snagged one for me. I’ve loved what Hard Truth has done in the past, and the idea of them giving their sweet mash bourbon the double oak treatment instantly caught my attention.       True to their transparent approach, this is a barrel-proof, small-batch release, just 28 barrels total, and for now a distillery exclusive. Hard Truth employs a sweet mash process, meaning they start each fermentation fresh instead of using remnants from the previous batch like in a sour mash. The result tends to be a brighter, more vibrant flavor profile. Now up to this point their sweet mash bourbon for me has been an alright experience. Nothing that has blo...

     Craft whiskey is alive and thriving in Indiana, and Four Finger Distillery continues to be a name that defines what small-batch passion can achieve. Based out of Indianapolis, Four Finger handles every step of the process, distilling, aging, and bottling, right in-house. This level of control and transparency is rare, and their latest release, a Bottled in Bond rye whiskey, feels like a proud milestone. Having loved their barrel-proof rye (my top Rye of 2024), I was excited to see how this one held up under the Bottled in Bond standard.           Four Finger Distillery , once known as 1205 Distillery, carries one of the more memorable origin stories. Its name comes from founder and master distiller Brad losing a finger during the construction of the stills, a touch of grit that now defines the brand’s spirit. Visit their tasting room, and you’ll find great cocktails, a friendly team, and a clear sense of craft pride behind every bottle. ...