I like the Hard Truth Distillery in Brown County, Indiana. It is a very attractive distillery set in a fairly rural place, with a great restaurant, a music venue and they make great whiskey. They are best known for making rye whiskey, but they also make a very good Bourbon. They recently sent me a bottle of their latest Bourbon, a Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, which I always appreciate. Bonded whiskey, at 100 proof, is the perfect proof for me. It has enough proof to bring out subtle flavors without being so strong in alcohol that it numbs the taste buds. Matt and I sat down to taste this bottle the other day and here are our tasting notes.
Hard Truth American Odd Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Proof: 100
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Caramel, apples, baking spices and oak wood.
- Matt: Vanilla, cookies and cream, plums and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Caramel, apples, allspice and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and cinnamon spice and ripe pears come out to join the party. Tasted with a pecan and lemon zest comes forward.
- Matt: Caramel, Mars candy bar, cinnamon and oak wood. The dried cranberry added notes of cherry and vanilla. The pecan enhanced the caramel and added raisin notes.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood and allspice. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with oak wood, cinnamon and lingering pear. The pecan made the finish very long with oak wood and lemon zest with lingering green apple.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood and cinnamon. The dried cranberry made the finish long with lots of oak wood. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood and raisins.
I would pair this fine Bourbon with an Oliva Connecticut wrapper cigar. I find the dried fruit notes in the smoke pair well with the fruit in the Bourbon.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller