As we await our six barrels of new whiskey from the vaunted Buffalo Trace Distillery (see last week’s blog) I’m going to continue on discussing some of the whiskey that wet my whistle and made it sing in 2023! It was another great year for special releases and many that are more than affordable!
When we were told some people from Hard Truth Rye wanted to come to Warren and try us on their new sweet mash spirits I was fully expecting it to be the local or regional sales reps. Turned out it was Master Distiller Bryan Smith himself! What a treat. And the whiskey he’s making in Nashville Indiana is even more of a treat.
My favorite, the above pictured Chocolate Malted Rye, is without a doubt one of my favorite surprises in 2023. Using the sweet mash method of distilling he learned from Shane and Pat at Wilderness Trail, Mr. Smith has created one of the most intense, sweet and delicious spirits anywhere. It’s unmistakable dark chocolate tones are apparent on the nose and even more present on the palate. This rich, full-bodied rye has just enough spice (think cinnamon) to complement the rich caramel, butterscotch and vanilla flavors that wind into an incredible deep, long and rewarding finish!
Our team was so impressed with the product from this upstart distillery that two of our partners booked a flight that afternoon to visit the Hard Truth Distillery in Nashville, Indiana! The result? Our very own sweet mash malted rye barrel pick for Damn Good Hospitality! (Which just arrived at the restaurant last week!). It is so good!! I highly recommend to all whiskey fans to visit Warren soon and try a dram! (or two!)
