Dried apricot | Salted caramel | Milk chocolate | Black cherry | Toasted coconut

Brown sugar | Leather | Mixed dark berries | Sweet oak

Black cherry | Black pepper | Butterscotch | Dry oak | Light clove | Toasted cinnamon

Mizunara oak is native to Japan and is among the rarest woods in the world. It is typically 200-500 years old before it’s harvested, a result of strict Japanese laws that regulate the number of these slow-growing trees that can be harvested each year. Where a decade ago it was extremely rare for American whiskey to be finished in it, it is slightly more common now.

Hard Truth Distilling is now taking its stab at Mizunara finishing, having released both rye and wheated bourbons finished in the rare oak this year. Mizunara finishing typically leaves a gentle influence on the finished whiskey, making it a favorite among the scotch producers. Hard Truth seems to have gone for a similar approach, keeping the Mizunara influence light and approachable. By way of comparison, this contrasts Amburana-finished whiskeys, with that type of finishing barrel often dominating the base whiskey.

The bourbon’s aroma is quite varied, with a range of scents that include dried apricot, salted caramel, milk chocolate, black cherry, and toasted coconut. The palate stays in the Hard Truth wheelhouse for the most part, offering its typical brown sugar note alongside leather, mixed dark berries, and sweet oak. The finish is a bit more complex, thanks to black cherry, black pepper, butterscotch, dry oak, light clove, and a delightful toasted coconut note at the end.

Those who like their finished whiskey to let the base whiskey pull through will enjoy Hard Truth Barrel Finish Reserve: Mizunara Finished Wheated Bourbon. The barrel influence is light, even regulated to the background in some sips. But in other sips, it helps add another layer of complexity and flavor to the whole ordeal. It’s subtle but poignant when it wants to be. It’s sweet and dry, fruity and savory. It doesn't completely wow with every sip, but it is never boring either. Though I worry the rye version would completely overpower the Mizunara finish, the wheated base plays well overall, resulting in a pour that is satisfying through and through.