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Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential Pete & Sherri Married 2nd Anniversary Review

Can an Iowa single malt rival the big names? Cedar Ridge’s Pete & Sherri Married 2nd Anniversary blends peat and sherry for a surprising ride.

OVERALL RATING

7
$99.99
  • Charles Steele is an attorney and whiskey enthusiast with a penchant for the peculiar.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Cedar Ridge Distillery has announced the third installment in its Pete & Sherri Married series, a limited-edition American single malt whiskey arriving May 1, 2026. The expression, part of the distillery’s QuintEssential Special Release series, is priced at $99.99 and will be available in Iowa and online.

The Pete & Sherri Married 2nd Anniversary is a blend of six- to nine-year-old single malts, bottled at natural cask strength of 116.8 proof (58.4% ABV) with no chill filtration and no color added.

The expression combines two distinct components. 2-Row Pale Malted Barley was first aged in Cedar Ridge ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry hogsheads. This was blended with peated malt aged in Cedar Ridge ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Amontillado sherry butts.

Master Blender Murphy Quint (where the name Quint-Essential is derived) created the release as part of a series that has earned significant recognition since its 2019 debut. The 2023 1st Anniversary expression was named Best American Single Malt by the World Whiskies Awards.

“I’m thrilled to release Pete & Sherri, Married (2nd Anniversary),” said Quint. “Pete & Sherri, Married (1st Anniversary) remains my favorite expression we’ve ever made. It launched early in the special release program, so many missed out. Now, with the release of the 2nd Anniversary, far more people will get to experience it, which is very exciting.”

Quint noted a deliberate evolution in the cask program for this bottling. “This year I’ve added a fun twist: we expanded beyond just first-fill Amontillado to include first-fill Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks alongside it, creating a more complex, layered profile while staying true to the Pete & Sherri core.”
Appearance:
Tawny clear color with semi-slow legs which hold to the glass. Tasted neat in a Glencairn.
Nose:
Seductive sherry and marzipan. A nice blended familiarity of single malts. There is some banana and just a soft touch of smoke.
Palate:
The mouthfeel is dry but overall smooth. The sherry wine certainly develops and opens over the palate. Followed by sweet almost syrupy sugars, the smoke becomes more present before evolving into a Boudreaux profile of deep earthy red wine and bakers chocolate.
Finish:
The finish is long with a nice charcoal element and warm mouthfeel.
Comments:
If you handed me this and asked me to guess where it was from, Iowa was not going to be on my list. I am truly impressed by the complexity displayed in this blend and believe it is worth a look. Personally I wanted less wine and more whiskey but that’s a personal preference.

I had the pleasure of sitting with the Master Blender Murphy Quint and his passion for this whiskey is paramount. He is dedicated to this exploration and is really showing off what is available outside Kentucky. Something that is unique about Cedar Ridge is the facility, originally, was a winery. Over time this pet project of a distillery has become a primary project. With this release I can appreciate why. This is a great bottle to share with friends or take to a wedding. The smoke and wine do a good job blending and provide a good dance of flavors to keep you engaged.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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