Tarnished Truth, of Virginia Beach, VA, holds the distinction of being the only distillery located within a working hotel. Started 8 years ago by a group looking to bring whiskey distilling to Virginia Beach, they operate out of the Cavalier Hotel’s old laundry room. (Great concept – allows for ease of hotel access if the tasting gets away from you.) As the name implies, Tarnished Truth aims to capture the essence of prohibition bootlegging on the shores of Virginia Beach. Fun, so let’s see how they do with the Tarnished Truth High Rye Bourbon review.

As disclosed in the name, this is indeed a high rye content bourbon. The mash bill consists of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley. My bottle carries a three year age statement and clocks in at 90 proof (45% ABV). Produced in a 500 gallon hybrid pot still system that includes a 20 foot vodka column and non-chill filtered, let’s see how beguiling Tarnished Truth can be.

Bottle and Appearance

In the bottle the bourbon displays a burnt amber coloring that it also retains into the glass. Giving a swirl demonstrates a medium thickness that forms wide and staggered, yet durable, fast legs. All very good and well, but Tarnished Truth truly shines in the realm of bottle appearance. Striking colors with plenty of details on the label easily stand out on the shelf and invite inspection. The squared bottle itself provides an elegant strength that looks good in a private collection – well done.

Nose

Lifting the glass to the nose produces a warming effect. At the forefront, a tangy sweetness comes out in the form of a granny smith apple. The sweetness quickly gains prominence as though melted caramel envelops said apple. Going deeper into the profile reveals metallic hints somewhat akin to blood. Despite this odd aberration, a rose scent appears and finishes off the nose. Though it takes an odd turn in the middle, the nose does work but also requires effort as it lands on the lighter side.

Palate

The whiskey enters the palate in a dainty fashion yielding practically no effect at all. It does, however, immediately offer up a pronounced and dominating bubble gum flavor. Despite this overabundance, a cereal grain mix comes through with the corn and rye popping out. Finally, purple grape notes also linger quietly in the distance just loud enough to be noticed. Though not overly complex, this bourbon certainly provides an extremely smooth experience on the palate with enjoyable taste.

Finish

Tarnished Truth exits as it entered – lightly. The bubble gum from the palate continues, though a bit of sweetness is gained in the form of simple syrup. Common rye notes enter in at the very end with milk chocolate appearing first and then rye spice that lingers until completion. Similar to the nose, it’s pleasant and tilts toward the lighter side.

Drinkability

This bourbon works well neat or on the rocks. The addition of water accentuates its sweeter side and allows for a maple syrup note to emerge. To capture the effect of this whiskey, jump in a boat and motor or paddle to the middle of a lake. Pour a little of this bourbon in the glass, sit back with hat tilted over eyes and simply take it all in. Easy and no cares in the world.

Food Pairing

Sticking with the water theme, serve up pan seared halibut in butter with garlic crumbles and roasted asparagus on the side.

Facial Hair Rating

This bourbon easily receives the Zorro Facial Hair Rating. Smooth…almost too smooth to be taken seriously it perfectly cuts its way through a room. Despite the outwardly expressed noble intentions, some questions regarding ulterior motives arise. It’s kind of like the person at work that always seems to predominantly only help the most attractive person.

Overall

To conclude the Tarnished Truth High Rye Bourbon review, it’s very good…almost too good. My major complaint about this whiskey is that it’s too easy to drink. By this I mean that it doesn’t chart new territory and additionally lacks the teeth to really jump out and grab the drinker. There simply isn’t much to ponder. Of course, these criticisms feel pedantic and academic. The whiskey is soft, balanced and very tasty, and would be enjoyed by most people in most settings. Each aspect of it works and the bottle could easily disappear quickly. With the addition of some complexity, this whiskey would easily be elite.

Final Grade: A-