This is going to be LEGEN — wait for it — DARY…
Schoonover Straight Bourbon Whiskey isn’t just any straight bourbon whiskey — it’s straight bourbon whiskey that Ed Ryan likes.
The Hard Truth Distilling Co. co-founder and owner is what you might call a fan — a devoted aficionado, if you will — of the darker, richer spirits.
“I have tasted hundreds of whiskeys over the years, and Schoonover is one of my favorites,” says Ryan. “This 14-year-old straight bourbon whiskey has a deeper amber color than anything in my collection, which is the first hint that this is going to be a full-bodied whiskey.”
Dwelling on the sense memory, he continues, “The nose has a distinct, unmatched carmely sweetness, and, with one sip, you have the perfect intersection of an oak backbone with a spicy pop wrapped in a deliciously sweet finish.”
Schoonover Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a very rare, uncut and unfiltered, single-barrel spirit.
This hand-selected rarity bottled by Hard Truth Distilling Co. marks the first in the company’s Legends series, a developing collection of spirits dedicated to the pioneering spirit upon which Hard Truth, and Hard Truth’s home of Brown County, Indiana, was founded.
One Legend, four takes
Schoonover Straight Bourbon Whiskey is more than meets the eye — along with the release of the original Schoonover, Hard Truth will also be releasing three additional, barrel-smoked versions.
“It took some guts for Bryan Smith, our Master Distiller to take a delicious 14-year-old whiskey and experiment with it by smoking it in whiskey barrels,” said Ryan.
Smith’s keen palate, know-how, and willingness to take a risk remind Ryan of the man for which this spirit is named.
“Bryan’s pioneering spirit has led to the release of the Schoonover family of products, which are now America’s Original Barrel Smoked Whiskeys.”
In addition to the original Schoonover Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Hard Truth is also currently offering applewood-, hickory-, and maple-smoked versions.
Each wood adds nuanced flavors and aromas unique unto themselves — subtly turning one spirit into four, unique experiences.
“We are excited to present this lineup to not just traditional whiskey connoisseurs,” said Ryan, “but also to Scotch lovers of the world.”
The man, the myth, the Hard Truth Legend
As the first recorded European settler to the area that would eventually become Brown County, Indiana, a German fur trader and trapper named Johann Schoonover opens the Hard Truth Legend series.
He arrived in the area around 1820, when “the hills were covered with virgin forests and the hollers teeming with wildlife,” explained Ryan.
He settled by the creek that now bears his name, married, and made a life for his family before eventually disappearing back into the American wilds.
“This 14-year-old whiskey is named in honor of Schoonover because it perfectly captures the rugged spirit of its namesake. I encourage you to sit back, relax, take a sip, and let your mind wander back to the days of those pioneering spirits and enjoy one of the finest whiskeys I have ever tasted.”
To read more about the Schoonover Straight Bourbon Whiskey family, visit Hard Truth’s Web site, HERE.
Hard Truth’s official Schoonover press release is available, HERE.
