Hard Truth Distilling Co. Expands Its Rye Whiskey Portfolio with the Launch of High Road Sweet Mash Rye

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Nashville, Indiana-based Hard Truth Distilling Co. announced today the release of its latest expression, the Hard Truth High Road Sweet Mash Rye. This new sweet mash rye whiskey has been specially crafted to allow a broader audience to appreciate the unique taste and subtlety of the sweet mash rye distilling process.

Hard Truth’s line of sweet mash rye whiskies has been enthusiastically received by consumers and reviewers alike. This encouraged the distillery to create a lower proof, more affordable sweet mash rye to help expand the entire sweet mash category. “Our internal evaluation panel results, along with taste-testing in twenty-plus markets confirmed that this is one of the most delicious, sweet mash rye whiskies we’ve ever produced,” said Bryan Smith, Hard Truth’s Master Distiller.

Hard Truth High Road Sweet Mash Rye is bottled at 46.5 percent ABV (93 proof) and features a blend of 55 percent rye, 36 percent corn, and 9 percent malted barley. The whiskey, priced at $39.99 for a 750 ml bottle, boasts a deep copper appearance with a rich vanilla, maple, custard flavor profile and an aroma of apricot jam, honey, baking spice, and graham cracker.

Sweet mashing is a method in which each batch of whiskey begins with entirely fresh ingredients, yielding whiskies that are smoother and have a more complex palate. “We’re proud that Hard Truth is at the forefront of what we believe is a sweet mash rye revolution,” Smith added.

High Road is the largest scale release in the 8-year history of the distillery, an achievement made possible due to Hard Truth’s recent major distillery expansion that includes the construction of its second rackhouse, tripling storage capacity from 4,000 to 12,000 barrels.

Hard Truth’s sweet rye whiskies have been consistently recognized for their excellence. Their first batch of Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey was ranked among Fred Minnick’s Top 100 American Whiskeys of 2021, and the Master Distiller’s Reserve Malted Rye Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey recently won the prestigious 2023 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.

Ross & Squibb Distillery Launches Remus Highest Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey

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In homage to a 175-year tradition of rye distillation, Lawrenceburg, Indiana’s Ross & Squibb Distillery has announced the latest addition to its Remus Bourbon collection: the Remus Highest Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey. As a permanent extension of the brand line, this new bourbon is set to be available nationwide, with a suggested retail price of $54.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

Remus Highest Rye Bourbon, aged for six years and bottled at 109 proof, boasts a mash bill of 51% corn, 39% rye, and 10% malted rye, thereby pushing the envelope of rye concentration in a bourbon.

Master Distiller Ian Stirsman expressed the distillery’s intent to honor their rich rye heritage with this latest release. “This bourbon delivers a sweet, rich fruit and maple aroma and a palate containing robust candied-fruit notes, followed by a lingering finish highlighted by notes of spicy cinnamon and saddle leather.”

Ross & Squibb Distillery, named after two historic Lawrenceburg distilleries, Rossville Distillery and W.P. Squibb & Co., has a longstanding reputation for producing distinct, top-quality ryes and high-rye bourbons since 1847. Rye whiskey, which enjoyed peak popularity prior to Prohibition, is witnessing a steady resurgence in modern times.

Shanae Randolph, Marketing Director-Brands for MGP’s Luxco Branded Spirits, voiced the company’s inspiration drawn from the Prohibition Era bourbons for the Remus brand. “With Remus Highest Rye Bourbon we offer a salute to the enormous popularity of rye whiskey heading into this period,” she noted, expressing confidence that both rye and high-rye bourbon aficionados will readily embrace this new addition to the Remus Bourbon collection.

Return of the CAO Arcana Mortal Coil: Back on the Market by Popular Demand

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General Cigar Company has confirmed that the CAO Arcana Mortal Coil will be making a comeback to the market on August 1st. Originally launched in February 2021, this unique cigar has become well-known for incorporating “Andullo”, an age-old tobacco fermentation method indigenous to the Dominican Republic.

Responding to persistent fan demand, the company decided to bring the Mortal Coil back. “The fans of CAO spoke, and we listened,” stated Ed Lahmann, the senior brand manager of CAO cigars. He added, “We previously brought back Mortal Coil, yet the fans kept wanting more. So with this year’s release of the blend, we’re showing the fans of CAO that we’re willing to go the extra mile for them.”

The Andullo tobacco is notable for its unconventional fermentation process, differing from traditional techniques typically used for sungrown Habano-seed tobaccos. Instead, Andullo tobacco is wrapped tightly in handcrafted pods made from palm tree leaves, known as “yaguas”. These pods are then compressed with a coiled rope, which facilitates a lengthy fermentation process of around two years. This method results in a rough, leathery-looking leaf with a distinctive thickness and an earthy sweetness.

The CAO Arcana Mortal Coil cigar features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a Connecticut Shade binder, and a filler composed of Dominican Andullo, Honduran Jamastran, Nicaraguan Esteli, and Dominican Piloto Cubano. This 6 1/8” x 50 Toro vitola cigar comes with a suggested retail price of $11.99, and is packaged in a 20-count box.

Camacho Launches New Broadleaf Addition to Core Cigar Line, Set to Hit Retailers in September

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Camacho has officially unveiled their newest addition to the core line, the Camacho Broadleaf. This cigar blends Honduran and Dominican tobaccos, notably featuring a signature Broadleaf wrapper grown in Honduras. This is a departure from the norm, as the conventional wrapper of choice is usually sourced from the Connecticut River Valley. The previous well-known Camacho cigar featuring a Broadleaf wrapper was the Camacho American Barrel-Aged, which included American tobaccos aged in spent bourbon barrels.

Edward Simon, CMO at Oettinger Davidoff, commended the master blenders in Honduras for their work, stating, “They created a cigar line which is not only excellent in taste, but also bold and fearless in attitude.” Simon also highlighted the darker Broadleaf wrapper, describing it as lending “an oily, almost silky appearance and a creamy note to the taste profile.”

The Camacho Broadleaf will be available in three sizes at launch: Robusto (5″ x 50, $9.25 per cigar), Toro (6″ x 50, $9.75 per cigar), and Gordo (6″ x 60, $10.50 per cigar). Packaged in boxes of 20 cigars, the blend is described as a “medium intense smoke.” Shipping to retailers will commence in early September, with an official release date of September 7, 2023 in the U.S. and September 15, 2023 in Germany and Switzerland.

Blind Cigar Review: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Black Sakakhan

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In late 2022, Steve Saka well known cigar maker and blender released the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan from his Dunbarton and Tobacco & Trust company. This is a large imposing dark Churchill with a pigtail cap. The name Sakakhan is said by Steve himself to be a nickname of his. Smoking this blind, I set aside a healthy amount of time to sit and experience this cigar. Read on.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed:  Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Mi Querida Black SakaKhan
  • Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Binder: Mexican San Andres’
  • Filler: Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan 
  • Size: 7” ¼ x 54 (Churchill)

Blind Review Notes: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Mi Querida Black SakaKhan

Appearance & Construction 

This is one large dark maduro cigar with a tight pigtail cap. It’s rather veiny and firm to the touch. As I roll the cigar in my palm, I can see how well crafted the smoke is. The foot smells of cocoa, biscuit, and hay. 

Taste & Smoke Characteristics

With my Xikar I make a straight cut just below the pigtail which leaves a clean impression. The dry draw is airy and dusty with little flavor coming from it. Using a single flame, I take a I light and there’s leather and a grittiness to start. Notes of vanilla bean and brioche come forward as the cigar develops. Thus far the smoke is in the medium bodied range with a wavy whitish gray ash. With a retrohale I pick up coffee and earth with a sharpness on the finish.

The second half picks up with pepper on my lips and hitting the back of my throat. There’s more vanilla sweetness mixed with tea and wood with a short finish. Plenty of smoke is produced while taking a slow cool draw off this large Churchill.  I take another retrohale which delivers roasted nuts and oolong tea. There’s a bit more fullness in the body however I still feel it’s on the latter end of medium. The wavy burn line has corrected itself and is looking sharp. 

Reaching the final third there’s a transition in flavor with more earth notes followed by dry cedar. The drying sensation intensifies as I puff away bringing strong leather, wood along with black pepper. I’m finding the retrohale delivers the most strength from this cigar as I pick up spices and forest floor which lingers on my palate. This is one of the longer finishes of this smoke. As I take a final draw there’s a pleasant sweetness that rounds out this Churchill. 

Conclusion

For such a large cigar I was pleased that it was not too strong as to saturate my palate by the end of it. The leather, vanilla and wood notes were pleasing if not just a bit short on the finish. The middle of the smoke offered tea and roasted nuts that added to its complexity. Towards the end the cigar became drying on the sides of my mouth however the sweet finish redeem itself. I’ve enjoyed a few of Steve Saka’s blends and if you enjoy a long smoke and dedicate your time, SakaKhan is worth your time. 

Final Rating: 89

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