Review #326 - Hard Truth High Road Rye

Hard Truth, out of Brown County, Indiana, created this 93 proof High Road Rye as an easy-drinking alternative to their typical barrel proof rye varieties. It's made in small batches - this one is a blend of 30 barrels, for instance - and available with limited distribution around the Midwest and Northeast, though the number of states is increasing all the time.

Like most of Hard Truth's whiskies, this is made using the 'sweet mash' process, as opposed to the 'sour mash' method used by the majority of American distilleries. No backset from previous whisky batches is added - each mash and fermentation cycle at Hard Truth is all new. For this High Road rye product, they use a mashbill of 55% rye, 36% corn, and 9% malted barley grain.

Hard Truth High Road Rye

USA - Rye

Current Locally Available Price: USD 36 (2024)

Age Statement: 3 Years

Strength: 46.5% ABV

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 2 months; bottles at 100% and 30% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Grain-forward: oats, brown sugar oatmeal, sometimes slightly savory. Not a lot of fruit except for some orange peel, and there's a spice kick from cinnamon and sweetness from vanilla; a bit of ethanol lingers around the nose, as well.

Palate: A medium-thin mouthfeel - orange juice, mildly sweet caramel, and simple syrup come to mind. There's a bit of brown sugar later, which transitions to spicy grain; at times, slightly watery, and the youth shows a bit.

Finish: Cinnamon oatmeal, warming, with hints of pepper. There's an herbal eucalyptus note that shows the rye character, and sweetness grows later, but it isn't the most flavorful finish.

Final Note: This rye is okay - not bad for the price tag of $36, though there are some options that we like a little more that are a bit less expensive. This was somewhat grain forward, showing that youth, but we enjoyed the cinnamon spice that lingered throughout the experience.

Our Average Rating: 5.5 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 6.60

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.