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...

     Rare Saint is a newer brand on the Indiana whiskey scene, with its operations based in Indianapolis. Early indications suggest they do a lot of sourcing from MGP, which is far from a bad thing, MGP makes some excellent whiskey. That said, there’s a bit of marketing questions here, with the bottle labeled as a “limited release” and “rare spirit.” I picked this one up out of curiosity and a desire to support a local brand, hoping to see how they handle barrel selection.      The labeling suggests a two-barrel blend and an official age statement is nowhere to be found on the bottle. Their website mentions a 5-year age, but without that detail on the packaging, it’s left as an assumption. For the full video review visit the link here:  https://youtu.be/DZdKGnv-FUs . Age Statement: 5 years (according to the website). ABV:  57.65%. Mash bill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley. Area of Distillation: Indiana. Appearance: Dark honey. On the nose:  ...

          Three Floyds Distilling, based in Munster, Indiana, has long been a powerhouse in the craft beer world with legendary brews like Zombie Dust and Gumball Head. Over the last several years, they’ve been steadily building their spirits portfolio, distilling, aging, and bottling everything in-house, often experimenting with unique grains like oats and beer malt. Their label art is as wild and unapologetic as their recipes, and when I stopped by in May 2025 to pick up their Dark Lord Straight Malt, something else caught my eye: their first rye whiskey release.      While the distillery offered a 7-year version at the time, I stumbled upon this 4-year bottling on store shelves. At first, I thought I had the 7-year in my hands, only to later learn this was the younger sibling. Adding another twist, the liquid inside was sourced from MGP, nothing wrong with that, as they make fantastic whiskey, but not distilled by Three Floyds themselves. ...