Hard Truth Whiskey<\/a> built its name on the rugged spirit of rye, rolling through Indiana like a freight train. They didn\u2019t just settle for being another whiskey\u2014Hard Truth<\/a> set out to make Indiana rye a thing, and they got the state to back it up. That\u2019s how you know you\u2019re doing something right, when you can get the state on your side. And after they kicked things off with rye, they turned their sights to bourbon, proving they weren\u2019t just here to play\u2014they were here to leave their mark.<\/p>\n Located in the heart of Brown County, in Nashville, Indiana, Hard Truth sits about 20 miles east of Bloomington, home to music legend John Cougar Mellencamp. Now, this isn\u2019t just some coincidence. John\u2019s son, Hud Mellencamp, decided to keep the family tradition alive in a different way, founding the Mellencamp Whiskey Company. Together, Hard Truth and Mellencamp Whiskey teamed up for something special\u2014a series of whiskeys that are as bold as the American heartland itself.<\/p>\n American Odd is the 4th release in this collaboration, but it\u2019s the first bottled in bond sweet mash bourbon in the series, making it something a little out of the ordinary\u2014just like the way John\u2019s music speaks to the soul. The whiskey is the product of a careful partnership between Hard Truth\u2019s Master Distiller Bryan Smith, Hud Mellencamp, and Levi Collison of Mellencamp Whiskey. These three have created a batch of whiskey as wild and free as a Mellencamp guitar solo.<\/p>\n Each bottle from this series tells a story, with the labels featuring original artwork from John Cougar Mellencamp himself. American Odd<\/em> is a painting created in 2020, 60\u2033 by 48\u2033, with house paint, oil, and charcoal on Masonite. It\u2019s a piece of John\u2019s heart\u2014a tribute to American farmers, as real as the dirt on the boots of the men and women who till the land. If you\u2019ve ever listened to \u201cPink Houses\u201d or \u201cCrumblin\u2019 Down,\u201d you know the kind of America he\u2019s talking about\u2014the kind that\u2019s tough, gritty, and unrelenting.<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s talk about the whiskey itself. This isn\u2019t your average bourbon. The Spring 2025 American Odd Sweet Mash Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon is distilled on a Vendome still, with 100% Indiana-grown grains. Most bourbons use three grains, but not American Odd\u2014this one uses two: 82% corn and 18% rye. The corn comes from Doug Miller\u2019s farm near Rushville, Indiana, while the rye is sourced from Dr. Duane Kuhlenschmidt in Evansville. This bourbon\u2019s as Indiana as a tractor on a dirt road.<\/p>\n American Odd is batch of 33 barrels, aged for at least 4 years, and dumped on April 4, 2025. The distillate came off the still at 138 proof and entered the barrels at 113 proof. When it came time to barrel it up, Hard Truth and Mellencamp went with Independent Stave Company, opting for a #1 barrel char and a custom toast.<\/p>\n In true Bottled in Bond fashion, this bourbon\u2019s bottled at exactly 100 proof, a nod to the 1897 law that made sure every bottle was as honest as a country tune. Does the Spring 2025 American Odd bottled in bond bourbon strike a chord with whiskey lovers, leaving \u2019em itching for a follow-up like a heartland anthem on a hot summer night? You know, the kind of spirit that makes you want to crank up the radio and ask, \u201cIs that the best we\u2019ve got, or is there more to come?\u201d Well, let\u2019s take a sip, sit back, and see if this release has the kind of staying power that makes you come back for more, just like the songs of John Cougar Mellencamp.<\/p>\n The nosing experience opens with buttery English toffee, quickly followed by a hint of savory nutmeg. As the bourbon breathes, dried apricots and vanilla join in, adding depth to the aroma. The high-corn mashbill brings a noticeable sweetness to the nose, but it\u2019s balanced just right, without being overwhelming.<\/p>\n On the palate, juicy plums take the lead, quickly meeting cinnamon. As the flavors develop, the bourbon transitions to angel food cake, followed by a vanilla note. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied\u2014sweet but never too much, thanks to the corn-forward mashbill. The initial sweetness fades into a well-rounded finish, where almonds and black currants come through, followed by a closing touch of leather and black pepper that adds a bit of spice.<\/p>\n While I\u2019ve always appreciated Hard Truth\u2019s rye whiskey, their earlier bourbon releases didn\u2019t quite capture my attention. I came into American Odd with low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. This bottle delivers a complex, balanced experience, especially considering it\u2019s made with just two grains. It\u2019s not often that a two-grain bourbon impresses this much, and American Odd has definitely earned a place in my collection. I\u2019m genuinely impressed and will be reaching for it again.<\/p>\n 100 proof.<\/p>\n![\"Review:](\"https:\/\/www.drinkhacker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_4019-525x700.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHard Truth x Mellencamp American Odd Bourbon Review<\/h2>\n
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