Tarnished Truth High Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey

A little background

Tarnish Truth Distilling Company is a craft distillery located in the Cavalier Hotel, a 5-star hotel in Virginia Beach, VA. Co-founders Andrew Yancey and Josh Canad are noted as the first to start a craft distillery  in a hotel. The mashbill used for Tarnished Truth High Rye Bourbon is 60% corn, 36% Rye, 4% malted barley, which is a much higher rye content than most other bourbons. Tarnished Truth distillery has been sourcing their bourbon from MGP. However, they’ve also been distilling and aging their own distillate since opening in 2018. Tarnished Truth ages their High Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey for at least three years. The distribution of this product is limited, with it only being available at Virginia ABC stores and the distillery. It’s bottled at 86 proof and carries a retail price of around $60 bucks.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Rich Amber

Nose

Sweet toasted oak is the first note that hits the nose. Hints of sandalwood and citrus also come through. The longer the whiskey opened up, the more I was able to get a slight smokey and herbal note. Lights hints of butterscotch and maple syrup also find their way through.

Palate

The high rye in the mashbill causes an enjoyable heat of cinnamon and clove that quickly subsides, allowing fruity flavors to shine through.  The overall palate of this bourbons is very balanced with hints of toasted oak. The majority of the spice hits on the front of the palate. Adding a few drops of water allows for the other flavors to come through without interrupting the enjoyable rye spice.

Finish

The finish coats the entire mouth with a medium finish. Baking spices and cinnamon are left to linger  as the finish lingers on the mouth.

In conclusion

This high rye bourbon delivers a unique balance of flavors that most high rye bourbons fail to deliver. Tarnished Truth has been able to achieve a good balance of flavors even though their bourbon is still fairly young. If you enjoy the taste of a higher rye mashbill bourbon, this would be a good option for you to try. This bourbon has been able to pack a great punch of rye-spice even with being bottled at 86 proof. If you happen to be in Virginia, I would recommend picking up a bottle!