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...