Tarnished Truth 3 Year Old High Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

Lee Stang -

BOTTLE DETAILS

  • DISTILLER: Tarnished Truth Distilling Company (Sourced from MGP)
  • MASH BILL: 60% Corn | 36% Rye | 4% Malted Barley
  • AGE: 3 Years.
  • YEAR: 2018
  • PROOF: 86 (43% ABV)
  • MSRP: $63.99
  • BUY ONLINE: Available in Virginia ABC Stores and at the Distillery. Not available online.

LEE'S NOTES

NOSE: Butterscotch | Corn | Hints of Cherries and Chocolate

TASTE: Toasted Oak | Caramel | Pepper

FINISH: A very short kick of spice. The finish is short, disappearing quickly.

SHARE WITH: I would share this with bourbon lovers who want to try the latest craft release.

WORTH THE PRICE: At $63.39, the price is steep for a young MGP blend.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Presently this bourbon is only available in Virginia ABC stores, and at the distillery. Starting to roll out to bars in Virginia. I would suggest trying before buying.

OVERALL: Tarnished Truth is a new distillery that opened in March 2018. It is located in the Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach, Virginia. According to their press, they are the only distillery located in a hotel and the hotel features their products. They are presently distilling and aging their own bourbon but in the meantime they have sourced bourbon from MGP in Indiana under the watchful eye of Larry Ebersold, a master distiller who worked for Seagram's (currently MGP) for more than 35 years.

This is a blend of MGP bourbons that has a three year old age statement. According to the distillery there is nothing older in the blend. The bottle presentation is very sharp. It is a great looking bottle. The bourbon however, is young and average at best. It took me quite a while with my first pour to really pick any notes on the nose or palate. After a little airing though some hints of cherries and chocolate did come through on the nose. The finish is short. This bourbon just did not do the trick for me.

As I sipped on this bourbon, I thought about what other MGP bourbons I might have in my cabinet and realized I still have an open bottle of Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 bourbon. It has the same mash bill as this Tarnished Truth Bourbon. Unfortunately the comparison ends there. I am a huge fan of Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 year bourbon. The Tarnished Truth is ok but not nearly in the same class. Most likely this can be attributed to the age, but blending and water could also play a part.

That being said, Tarnished Truth also bottles a 9 year old single barrel bourbon that is also sourced from MGP. I am very interested in tasting this one as well. It is being sold at the distillery and in Washington, DC according to Tarnished Truth. I will be visiting Virginia Beach soon. Will have to stop by.

BRAND NOTES

Tarnished Truth Distilling Company, the Virginia Beach-based distillery, was founded by locals Andrew Yancey and Josh Canada. Tarnished Truth is deeply rooted in Virginia’s history as the birthplace of the American made spirit. Yancey and Canada wanted to highlight Virginia’s legacy as the original home of the heritage spirit. Our Tarnished Truth bourbon has been a longtime dream for both entrepreneurs. Tarnished Truth Distillery is located inside the historic Cavalier Hotel and is adjacent to the hotel’s legendary speakeasy, the Hunt Room. We are the first and only distillery located and operating inside a U.S. hotel. Tarnished Truth opened in March of 2018. Harkening back to the golden era of the roaring 20s and paying homage to bourbon whiskey’s roots in the great American south, we offer finely made bourbons and Ava Vodka, sold on site and used throughout the hotel in signature crafted cocktails. In addition to offering bottled craft spirits available for sale, our distillery offers private tours, a tasting room, and an attached dining room and bar, the historic prohibition-era Hunt Room.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Butterscotch, maple syrup, and cinnamon

Taste: Toasted oak, honey vanilla, spices of clove and cinnamon with hints of ripe figs

Finish: Substantial drawn out smooth finish with lingering spice notes

Disclaimer: Tarnished Truth provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.