Chocolate | Charred oak | Seared mint | Pumpernickel bread | Stewed cherry & plum | Cinnamon | Touch of clove

Black cherry | Black raspberry | Grilled peaches | Seared mint | Browned butter | Black pepper

Chocolate | Toasted cinnamon | Dry toasted oak | Black cherry | Lingering charred oak & rye spice

Hard Truth Distilling Co.'s Barrel Reserve series is back with another stab at double-oaking their rye. Much like their previous double-oaked rye, 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. Where most companies would flip-flop the base age versus finishing time, Hard Truth is not scared of a little extra finishing time.

The 2024 release and the current one definitely have some base similarities, but deviate in a few key areas. Where baking spices, apple cider, and cinnamon dominated the previous release, this year’s edition brings forth more fruit and chocolate this time out. Deep fruit notes in the form of stewed cherry and plum, black cherry, black raspberry, and grilled peaches create a heavy flavor profile. Combine this with plenty of chocolate and charred oak notes, and its sip is once again striking.

Given its impressive 3+ year finishing time in new secondary oak, it doesn’t result in an over-oaked rye per se. Charred oak is found throughout, but it does leave a dry, toasted oak note on the finish that ever-so-slightly enters bitter territory. With enough fruit notes mixed in, the bitter oak is kept at bay.

With Hard Truth unveiling their oldest rye to date earlier this year with 7 Year Sweet Mash Rye, it’s been interesting to follow how their rye has changed from the early 2 year old stock to a 5+ year old double oaked rye to a 7 year rye. Hard Truth Distilling has definitely come into its own, and their rye continually shows slow but subtle improvements with each passing year. Hard Truth Barrel Finish Reserve: Double Oaked Rye is further proof of that, with a rich, fruit-forward double oaked rye that doesn’t get everything quite right, but with each subsequent release, continues to improve.