29 Dec 2023 Has Been a Year of Awards for Hard Truth Distilling Co.
by Mark E. Lasbury for Indiana On Tap
Nashville, Indiana is the home of the Hard Truth Distilling Co. and their premiere distillery destination location, with over 325 acres of woods and alcohol/food fun, with more to come. The whole team has put in years of work to generate stellar products and atmosphere, and it has really paid off in 2023. Let’s take a few lines to enumerate the accomplishments and awards that have come their way this calendar year.
– January, Mashed.com – “Hard Truth Spirits Cinnamon Vodka named as the dessert vodka to try in 2023.” The website stated that this is a great vodka to serve a dessert to just to have as a dessert. They noted its citrus notes being balanced by some honey, along with the baking spices of cinnamon. One customer noted it is great as a spike in hot cocoa or cider. The Cinnamon Vodka is now the best selling cinnamon vodka in the US. Article here.
Just a single glimpse of Hard Truth Distilling Co.s Nashville distillery. Image credit: Hard Truth Spirits
– March, BevNet.com – Hard Truth Distilling Launches First Television and Radio Ad Campaign.” Starting with radio spots in late February, Hard Truth has developed its first ad campaign, using both radio and television. Fifteen and thirty second spots featuring both founder Jeff McCabe and Master Distiller Bryan Smith were released in 10 markets across the country. The ads feature the new tagline, “We do it for all the moments of truth,” as well as several products and a backdrop of Hard Truth Distilling Co.’s 325 acre destination distillery location in Nashville, IN. Article here.
– July, BevNet.com – “Hard Truth Distilling Co. Completes New Rackhouse.” This is the 2nd rackhouse for the growing distillery in Nashville, and is double the size of the original. Barrel aging and storage will now be at 12,000 barrels. Bryan Smith noted that this will allow them to increase their whiskey production by 800% and that distillery is now running 24/7. Article here.
– August, Chilled Magazine.com – “Introducing Harvest Sweet Mash Rye: A Hard Truth Distilling Co. and Mellencamp Whiskey Collaboration.” John Mellencamp’s son, Hud, (he just has to be named for the Paul Newman character) and Levi Collison, have started the Mellencamp Whiskey Co., and their first product is a collaboration with Hard Truth Distilling Co. The first of a series of four whiskeys, Harvest Sweet Mash Rye is made with 100% Indiana grain, and celebrates the small town roots shared by Hard Truth and the Mellencamps. All bottles in the four whiskey series will feature artwork by John Mellencamp, and part of the profits will go to support Hard Truth’s new Ground in Truth cause platform. Article here.
image credit: Hard Truth Spirits
– August, ChilledMagazine.com – Also from HardTruth.com – “Hard Truth unveils their cause platform, Grounded in Truth.” Recognizing the growth of the company and their partnership with Mellencamp Whiskey (see above), Hard Truth Distilling Co. has announced their cause platform – Grounded in Truth. This charitable entity is devoted to supporting the family and small farmers that are so integral to the artisan distilling community. Jeff McCabe told me, “It ties a lot together for us…our Indiana roots, our commitment to family farms, and our support for entrepreneurship.” Hard Truth will be partnering with agriculturally-focused, not-for-profit organizations — like Farm Aid, their first giving partner — that provide valuable resources and support for family farmers. Article here.
– October, WhiskeyRaiders.com – “This Indiana Distillery Just Dropped 4 Rye Whiskeys Each Featuring a Different Barrel Finish.” Hard Truth released four new whiskeys, all under the High Road Sweet Mash Rye Brand, which comprise their Barrel Finished Reserve Collection. The base 94% rye whiskey has been finished in four different barrels, and will be an annual release. This year the barrels sourced were: Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Pedro Ximénez Brandy, Sauternes and Cognac. The barrels were sourced, “without cost consideration” by Hard Truth’s barrel program manager, Chris Moore. He added, “To stay consistent with Hard Truth’s philosophy for making the highest quality whiskey, it was critical that we use not just any barrel – but instead use barrels with the level of quality and provenance that could match and complement its specific style of sweet mash whiskey making,” Article here.
– October, Vine Pair – “Hard Truth Distillery Is Indiana’s Drinking Disneyland.” Vine Pair did a very nice feature article on Hard Truth Distilling Co., and how it is a destination distillery that offers so much more than the typical distillery tour. People floating by in pontoons with drinks in hand, guest questers, a great restaurant, 325 wooded acres – they drew a great between Hard Truth Distilling Co. and Disneyland. Jeff McCabe told me, “We have blueprints for the Disney Castle in our office…” I highly recommend that you read the entire article. Article here.
– November, 2023 Indiana Bourbon Awards, (Nov. 22 post) – The fan poll awards had several categories, and Hard Truth Distilling Co.’s Sweet Mash Rye was named Rye Whiskey of the Year and their Sherry Barrel Finished Reserve Series Sweet Mash Rye was named Finished Whiskey of the Year. Look for more about Indiana Bourbon and their End of Watch Legacy Fund next week.
– December, Taste of Home Magazine – “Slice of Indiana: Where to Find the Highest Rated Pizza Joints in the Hoosier State.” Based on Yelp and other reviews, Big Woods Pizza has been named one of the top pizza “joints” in Indiana. Besides being a great pizza location with great atmosphere and history, Nashville is where Big Woods/Quaff On! Brewing/Hard Truth Distilling Co. was born. I can personally vouch for the pizza at the Big Woods joints, with Nashville and Speedway being my favorites. From the article, “Serving different artisan pizza variations such as buffalo chicken, Margherita, steak, and nacho, Big Woods has been pleasing online reviewers and Nashville visitors since its inception.” Jeff McCabe added, “Why make pizza (or anything else for the matter) if you’re not going to make the best pizza you can?” Article here.
image credit: FredMinnick.com
– December, Fred Minnick.com – “Here are the Top 100 Whiskeys for 2023….Unranked.” Fred Minnick as an author, speaker, judge….basically all things whiskey. Each year he comes out with a top 100 whiskeys for the year (this year there were over 900 products tasted), based on several factors: tasted by him, Blind bourbon winners, High scores and Best in Show from ASCOTs, at least 500 bottles made, and something a bit more subjective….does the whiskey excite him. Hard Truth has had a whiskey in the top 100 for the past three years in a row, and for 2023 that whiskey was the Cognac Barrel Finished High Road Sweet Mash Rye, ranked #34, ahead of many legendary whiskeys. Fred described it as “earthy, with apricots.” Article here.
– December, Esquire Magazine – The 2023 Esquire Spirit Awards – This is a big one. Esquire does a good job of assessing and analyzing the spirits to which they make awards. In their words, “MGP makes the most rye in Indiana by a wide margin, as that factory-like distillery produces whiskey for a bunch of other brands including Bulleit and Dickel. But craft distillery Hard Truth is a force to be reckoned with, putting out a slew of rye whiskeys that can compete with the best out there (including some recent cask-finished expressions). The Sweet Mash was the distillery’s first release, made from a mashbill of 94 percent rye and six percent malted barley. It’s a relatively young whiskey, but doesn’t skimp on flavor with bold notes of fruit, spice, vanilla.” Jeff McCabe added, “This award puts us squarely in the mix with some great brands. Our Sweet Mash Rye truly is ‘a force to be reckoned with.” Article here.
– December, Indiana Chamber of Commerce – 3rd Annual Coolest Thing Made in Indiana Contest. From the end of October until mid-December, votes were tallied in a single elimination tournament of cool things made in Indiana. The Maple Bourbon Cream from Hard Truth Distilling Co. defeated NearSpace Education, Institute for Affordable Transportation, Hiker Trailers, and Guardian Bikes on their way to the finals. In the final round, Hard Truth finished just behind Hoosier Tire (racing tires), for a more than respectable 2nd place finish. Of the contest overall, Jeff McCabe said, “What fun! What a great group of companies. Indiana is a great place to live, work, play. It’s the kind of award that is really affirming, in terms of the company culture we have and the products we make.” Website here.
Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye. image credit: fredminnick.com
– December, Men’s Journal – “Best Rye Whiskey Brands to Sip Straight or Spice Up a Sazerac, Manhattan, or Old Fashioned.” Men’s Journal said, “Most of the rye whiskey produced in Indiana comes from MGP, the factory-like distillery where brands like Bulleit and Dickel source their rye. While MGP’s 95 percent rye whiskey is worthy of its reputation, a far smaller craft operation in the Hoosier state is offering some stiff competition. Hard Truth makes fantastic rye whiskey, and its Sweet Mash Rye expression exemplifies what they’re up to. “Sweet mash” means that each distillation begins fresh, as opposed to the sour mash process used by most distilleries where some of the mash from the previous distillation is left in the still. The mashbill is 94 percent rye and six percent malted barley, and while the whiskey is relatively young (under four years old), it tastes surprisingly mature. A series of new cask-finished rye whiskeys from Hard Truth are now available as well. Article here.
Congratulations to the entire team at Hard Truth Spirits Distilling Co. for a fantastic 2023. We’ll be looking forward to see how they build on these accolades in 2024.
No Comments