Hard Truth finished a six-year-old, cask-strength wheated bourbon in rare Japanese Mizunara oak. Heather calls it “Japanese wood.” B attempts to justify buying it. We find out whether either description matters once the bourbon reaches the glass.

Is sweet mash bourbon just marketing hype — or does it actually change the flavor? We review Hard Truth Sweet Mash Bourbon, break down sweet mash vs sour mash, and decide whether this under-$50 grain-to-glass bourbon hunts… or heads to clearance.