Indiana’s Hard Truth Has A New Sweet Mash Rye

Hard Truth Distilling Co. has announced the release of Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye, the first whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled on Hard Truth’s 325-acre campus in Brown County, Indiana.

Batch #001 will be a small batch of 30, two- to three-year-old barrels, uncut, unfiltered and bottled at barrel strength. Available in limited quantities on Black Friday, Nov. 26, Hard Truth’s Sweet Mash Rye will retail at $69.95.

It is the first release in what will become a series of sweet mash whiskeys that Hard Truth offers. Over the next few years, Hard Truth will introduce whiskeys from four unique rye mash bills and four unique bourbon mash bills, bringing a variety of flavor profiles to market.

“We’re on the forefront of a new era of whiskey-making as sweet mash pioneers here in the state of Indiana, ” said Hard Truth Master Distiller Bryan Smith.

“There’s a small, but mighty group of distillers making sweet mash whiskey and celebrating this innovative way of making whiskey. I feel honored and proud to be in such great company,” Smith added, nodding to the quality whiskeys they are creating..

Most whiskeys are produced using a sour mash method — a process that uses leftover mash from previous distillations in each new batch of whiskey. Historically, this was done out of necessity because the high acidity of the leftover mash helps ensure no bacterial contamination or other infection in the new batches.

Advances in distilling systems and sanitization processes, however, have made sweet mash — a process where each new batch starts entirely fresh — not only a possibility, but an exciting way to create whiskeys with characteristics unique to the method.

“The standard sour mash process can mute some amazingly complex and pleasant grain flavors that the sweet mash process tends to highlight.  It’s a more expensive and labor intensive process to make whiskey this way, but the final product speaks for itself,” explained Smith.

“Our sweet mash rye whiskey has a layered and complex flavor profile and the sweetness of the grain features more prominently on the palate.  Most people expect savory and spicy only from a rye whiskey, but with our sweet mash, expect bright fruit, complex brown sugar and mocha with baking spice in the finish,”  he said.

Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye is a deep, clear mahogany color with an aroma featuring bright notes of mocha, nutmeg, and ripe orchard fruit. It offers rich toffee, brown sugar, and peach flavors that envelop the palate, and the finish is smooth with lingering notes of chocolate, oak, and pepper.

“Authenticity is at the core of our whiskey making which is why we are bottling our sweet mash rye whiskey at barrel strength, uncut and unfiltered — a true expression of our whiskey making,” Smith explained.

“Our Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye wasn’t dreamt up in a boardroom or around a corporate table — it was made from dream to bottle, right here on these 325 acres. You can come visit us, meet the makers, see it being made, taste it, and experience Hard Truth in a very real and up-close way.  We are hardworking, real people, making incredibly innovative, high-quality whiskey, and that passion for hard work and making a quality product resonates with people.”

Available in 750 mL bottles, Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye whiskey Batch #001 is bottled at barrel strength — 115.2 proof with a 57.6 percent ABV. Bottles will be available for purchase on the Hard Truth campus and in select retailers throughout Hard Truth’s distribution area with a suggested retail price of $69.95 plus tax.

“We are so very pleased with our whiskey at this younger age and are incredibly excited about sharing future releases as the whiskey gets older,” said Smith.