Iowa has long been a corn state. If it were a country, Iowa would be the third-largest supplier of corn in the world. As it is, Iowa is definitely the largest grower of corn in the U.S. As corn is the primary ingredient in bourbon, it might be surprising to know that until Cedar Ridge Distillery opened 20 years ago, all the whiskey consumed in the Hawkeye State since Prohibition came from out of state.
While this whiskey is still rare to find outside of the Midwest, I did manage to obtain some small sample bottles to try out some of Iowa’s finest. I didn’t get to try their flagship Cedar Ridge Straight Bourbon in its regular 86-proof level, but I did score a Barrel Proof offering at 58 percent ABV.
Both whiskeys share the same mash bill of 74 percent family farm-grown corn, 14 percent malted rye and 12 percent two-row malted barley. Considering that parts of Iowa can see more than 100 degrees of temperature differential between winter and summer, the change in pressure of barrels in aging rickhouses can really magnify the extraction from the oak, and it definitely shows in this whiskey.
Bright as a copper penny (remember those?) in the glass, the whiskey has aromas of apple butter and caramel, making this a fine candidate for an autumnal sipper. It’s definitely hot at 116 proof, but a little water helps round it out nicely. The finish is lingering and complicated with the fruit notes slowly revealing the underlying wood and gentle tannins. This bourbon drinks like a much older and more expensive option from larger distilleries.
The second Cedar Ridge product I wanted to draw your attention to is a limited-production Anniversary Edition bourbon released to celebrate two decades of operation. Sharing the same mash bill as the flagship whiskey, this edition is bottled at 110 proof after finishing in four different special casks. While the exact proportions are secret, after the whiskey is removed from the initial new charred-oak barrels, it is divided between Tokaji wine barrels, ruby port barrels, amontillado sherry casks and additional new American oak barrels.
The result has a lovely rose gold tinge in the glass and plenty of herbaceous notes on the nose. The sherry casks contribute an unexpected bit of salinity to the palate but it’s balanced by peppery characteristics and a hint of mint. Those fade away to leave a sweet honey finish that invites another sip. This is definitely a whiskey worth hunting for!
