Heavy baking spices | Raw cinnamon | Roasted rye grain | Nutmeg | Hot apple cider | Layers of charred & toasted oak

Dark brown sugar | Cinnamon raisin bread | Toasted rye bread | Oak

Rye spice | Black pepper | Charred oak | Baking spices | Lingering dry rye grain

Hard Truth is back with another round of their Barrel Finish Reserve Collection. Double-Oaked Sweet Mash Rye is notable as it is a 2+ year old rye that was then placed in a second set of new, charred, American white oak barrels to finish aging for another 3+ years, making it one of the oldest ryes the company has ever released.

This 16 barrel release opens with face-melting amounts of baking spices that envelope your senses. Raw cinnamon is a noticeable standout among them before layers of roasted rye grain come forth that end with hot apple cider. From there, layers upon layers of dark brown sugar are immediately tasted on the palate before more of its rye qualities come out in the form of cinnamon raisin and toasted rye bread. The finish ramps up the rye spice quickly and potently that’s backed by black pepper, and a combination of big charred oak and baking spics.

Given the direction of Hard Truth maturing rye stock, there’s been a lot to look forward to with this release. We loved their Batch 001 release, so tasting it at 5+ years old was a mix of anticipation and excitement. Given that the rye spent more time in a second new oak barrel than its initial barrel was a curious choice and one that still remains elusive. Oak is of course a dominating flavor in most double oaked whiskeys, but it's how the base whiskey still comes across that can make a difference. Hard Truth Double-Oaked Sweet Mash Rye struggles with this. The company’s big baking spices notes are present, especially up front, but unfortunately, they take a backseat throughout the rest of the sip and aren’t as intensified as I would have liked. Its lingering dry rye grain finishing note also doesn’t fully work as it should, and I would have liked to have seen it be replaced with the company’s excellent chocolate rye note instead. Yet, what is offered remains a potent rye with big oak strung throughout, and when it comes to double oaked whiskey, that’s also kind of the point.