Bourbon

Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon

OVERALL
RATING

Whiskey Review: Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon

by Savannah Weinstock
September 30, 2015

Tasting Notes:

About:

Appearance:

Nose:

is fresh, floral, and sweet. With some faint syrupy notes, Cedar Ridge manages to be sugared yet breezy. Honey notes finish the first sniff, altogether denoting either a very young or very light spirit. As the whiskey is purportedly charcoal filtered and approximately four years of age, either shoe fits. After opening up, the bourbon lets go some of its refreshing characteristics and takes on char and smashed sugarcane notes. The sweetness comes forward with fuller body than at first blush. First impression on the this comes as quite a shock. As if the sugar notes were all chewed up and spit out, leaving just the dry cane. The bourbon doesn’t stand up to its own nose, leaving the

Palate:

is almost nonexistent, falling sharply into an abyss of watery heat. Following the sugared, floral nose this comes as quite a shock. As if the sugar notes were all chewed up and spit out, leaving just the dry cane. The bourbon doesn’t stand up to its own nose, leaving the palate only the ghost of honey and a slightly buttery mouthfeel. The heat of the spirit can be attributed to its 40% ABV, but there can hardly be a reasonable answer why a dram with a mash bill of 70% corn filled in with barley and rye could taste so ghostly. Funnily enough, the finish on the spirit is a long, peppery one with slight honeyed notes. With a reasonably pleasant nosing and finishing experience, Cedar Ridge feels like a sandwich with no filling or a book with no pages. I was baffled by the time I spent drinking this bourbon. Considering the sheer confusion this whiskey prompted in me and the bevy of more satisfying craft spirits out there, I can hardly recommend this one in good conscious. I give Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon a score of 79 points. [graphiq id=”3smWjR4w6Md” title=”Cedar Ridge Distillery Iowa Bourbon Whiskey Overview ” width=”700″ height=”500″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/3smWjR4w6Md” link=”https://whiskey.underthelabel.com/l/450/Cedar-Ridge-Distillery-Iowa-Bourbon-Whiskey” link_text=”Cedar Ridge Distillery Iowa Bourbon Whiskey Overview | UnderTheLabel”]

Finish:

Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a free sample to review by the party behind it. The Whiskey Wash, while appreciative of this, did keep full independent editorial control over this article.

Hailing from rural Iowa, Cedar Ridge Vineyards and Distillery appeared to be an outfit I could get behind. Making a go of craft distilling and winemaking in the rural Midwest is an atypical journey for many. Being from the rural Midwest myself, I gave a preemptive congratulations to Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon prior to tasting it—simply for attempting to make craft spirits in an area where the practice is somewhat uncommon. Having taken home several medals and honors in the past few years to boot, the whiskey came with high praise attached.

Rather light in color, Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon looks akin to apple juice or butterscotch candy in the glass as well as in the bottle.

First impression on the nose is fresh, floral, and sweet. With some faint syrupy notes, Cedar Ridge manages to be sugared yet breezy. Honey notes finish the first sniff, altogether denoting either a very young or very light spirit. As the whiskey is purportedly charcoal filtered and approximately four years of age, either shoe fits. After opening up, the bourbon lets go some of its refreshing characteristics and takes on char and smashed sugarcane notes. The sweetness comes forward with fuller body than at first blush.

First impression on the palate is almost nonexistent, falling sharply into an abyss of watery heat. Following the sugared, floral nose this comes as quite a shock. As if the sugar notes were all chewed up and spit out, leaving just the dry cane. The bourbon doesn’t stand up to its own nose, leaving the palate only the ghost of honey and a slightly buttery mouthfeel. The heat of the spirit can be attributed to its 40% ABV, but there can hardly be a reasonable answer why a dram with a mash bill of 70% corn filled in with barley and rye could taste so ghostly.

Funnily enough, the finish on the spirit is a long, peppery one with slight honeyed notes. With a reasonably pleasant nosing and finishing experience, Cedar Ridge feels like a sandwich with no filling or a book with no pages. I was baffled by the time I spent drinking this bourbon.

Considering the sheer confusion this whiskey prompted in me and the bevy of more satisfying craft spirits out there, I can hardly recommend this one in good conscious.

I give Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon a score of 79 points.

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[graphiq id=”3smWjR4w6Md” title=”Cedar Ridge Distillery Iowa Bourbon Whiskey Overview ” width=”700″ height=”500″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/3smWjR4w6Md” link=”https://whiskey.underthelabel.com/l/450/Cedar-Ridge-Distillery-Iowa-Bourbon-Whiskey” link_text=”Cedar Ridge Distillery Iowa Bourbon Whiskey Overview | UnderTheLabel”]

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