Indiana’s Hard Truth Releases Special Collection
Hard Truth Distillery Co. announced today the release of 2022 Hard Truth Master Distiller’s Reserve Collection – a limited time only bottling of three rye whiskey mash bills that embody Hard Truth’s dedication to bringing innovation to the whiskey world. All three come under Hard Truth’s award-winning Sweet Mash Rye label and will be available in extremely limited quantities in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts and Louisiana.
Launched on Black Friday, the new collection includes a Chocolate Malt (RW-3), Caramel Malt (RW-4) and Malted Rye (RW-6). Each is mashed, distilled, aged, and bottled by the distillers at Hard Truth in Brown County Indiana.
Each unique and innovative whiskey mash bill uses specialty roasted malts to impart the flavors of each expression. Chocolate malt is malted barley roasted to a very dark color which brings flavors of espresso and chocolate (like in a porter or stout beer). Caramel is roasted half as long and is more like caramel corn, sticky toffee in its flavor contributions. Malted Rye is a 100% rye whiskey which utilizes a portion of the mash bill in rye grain and a portion of rye grain that has been malted or sprouted and then kiln dried.
Each of these barrel-strength whiskeys originates from a select group of eight to 10 barrels hand-picked from the Hard Truth rackhouse and conscientiously blended for rich flavor, pleasant complexity, and a rewarding drinking experience.
“It is an annual tradition…beginning this year,” said Bryan Smith, Hard Truth Master Distiller. “The winter holidays now have some competition here at Hard Truth…moving forward we’ll be releasing special sweet mash offerings in the Master Distiller’s Reserve collection every year at about this time.”
The 2022 Hard Truth Master Distiller’s Reserve Collection
Chocolate Malt Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey (RW-3): Brings the deep, roasted chocolate espresso notes from chocolate malted barley to play with the sweetness of corn and the baking spice of rye grain. Batch 001 of mash bill RW-3 is a blend of eight barrels. A total of 300 six-pack cases will be available to all markets with the 2022 release. SRP is $89.99.
Appearance: Oloroso sherry
Aroma: Rich mocha, rye spice, and sweet cream with Dutch cocoa
Taste: Buttered brownie, toffee, and rye spice with a jammy layer of dried fruit
Finish: Bold lingering spice with fresh cracked black pepper and stone fruit that fade to coffee and a hint of oak
Caramel Malt Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey (RW-4): Exchanges the chocolate malt of Chocolate Malt Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey with caramel malted barley, providing caramel corn and sticky toffee notes to match the whiskey’s inherent sweetness and rye spice. Batch 001 of mash bill RW-4 is a blend of eight barrels. A total of 300 six-pack cases will be available to all markets with the 2022 release. SRP is $89.99.
Appearance: Oloroso sherry
Aroma: Caramel-draped vanilla custard with subtle hints of shortbread
Taste: Rich caramel, mocha, and maple lead to sweet cream and rye spice
Finish: Warm, lingering, and sweet with custard and apple that fade to light oak and bold spice
Malted Rye Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey (RW-6): A remarkable expression of 100 percent rye whiskey, showcasing the incredible depth and richness that can only come from the malting process, Batch 001 is a blend of 10 barrels. A total of 300 six-pack cases will be available to all markets with the 2022 release. SRP is $89.99.
Appearance: Auburn
Aroma: Sweet maple and butterscotch lead into bold spice and jammy fruit
Taste: Rich fruit, rye spice, and butterscotch with subtle notes of vanilla, oak, and cracked black pepper
Finish: Warm and lingering spice notes shift to toffee and dried fruit
