Iowa has lengthy been a corn state. If it had been a rustic, Iowa can be the third-largest provider of corn on the planet. As it’s, Iowa is unquestionably the most important grower of corn within the U.S. As corn is the first ingredient in bourbon, it is likely to be stunning to know that till Cedar Ridge Distillery opened 20 years in the past, all of the whiskey consumed within the Hawkeye State since Prohibition got here from out of state.
Whereas this whiskey remains to be uncommon to seek out exterior of the Midwest, I did handle to acquire some small pattern bottles to check out a few of Iowa’s best. I didn’t get to strive their flagship Cedar Ridge Straight Bourbon in its common 86-proof stage, however I did rating a Barrel Proof providing at 58 % ABV.
Each whiskeys share the identical mash invoice of 74 % household farm-grown corn, 14 % malted rye and 12 % two-row malted barley. Contemplating that elements of Iowa can see greater than 100 levels of temperature differential between winter and summer time, the change in strain of barrels in ageing rickhouses can actually enlarge the extraction from the oak, and it positively reveals on this whiskey.
Brilliant as a copper penny (bear in mind these?) within the glass, the whiskey has aromas of apple butter and caramel, making this a positive candidate for an autumnal sipper. It’s positively sizzling at 116 proof, however a little bit water helps spherical it out properly. The end is lingering and sophisticated with the fruit notes slowly revealing the underlying wooden and delicate tannins. This bourbon drinks like a a lot older and dearer possibility from bigger distilleries.
The second Cedar Ridge product I needed to attract your consideration to is a limited-production Anniversary Version bourbon launched to have a good time twenty years of operation. Sharing the identical mash invoice because the flagship whiskey, this version is bottled at 110 proof after ending in 4 completely different particular casks. Whereas the precise proportions are secret, after the whiskey is faraway from the preliminary new charred-oak barrels, it’s divided between Tokaji wine barrels, ruby port barrels, amontillado sherry casks and extra new American oak barrels.
The consequence has a stunning rose gold tinge within the glass and loads of herbaceous notes on the nostril. The sherry casks contribute an surprising little bit of salinity to the palate nevertheless it’s balanced by peppery traits and a touch of mint. These fade away to go away a candy honey end that invitations one other sip. That is positively a whiskey price attempting to find!
