About Cedar Ridge Single Malt Whiskey
Cedar Ridge meticulously oversees every step of production from grain to glass. They store and mill our corn and grain on-site. The grains are twice distilled to a higher proof, removing the impurities and resulting in a cleaner, more approachable sipping whiskey. The grains left over from distillation are hauled off as animal feed for local farmers.
The whiskey is then transferred to barrels, where they allow the spirit to mature naturally, being stored in a non-temperature controlled rick house. Iowa’s inconsistent weather patterns are what aids in the expansion and contraction of the barrels, allowing the whiskey to absorb the rich aromas and flavors more quickly than in other regions. This natural aging process, however, leaves about 18% to the angels.
Cedar Ridge Single Malt Whiskey is aged in wine barrels, yielding a rich spirit full of character. “Because we are a winery AND a distillery, naturally we have an abundance of wine barrels. We chose to go with a more fruit-forward recipe for our new Single Malt to really utilize the depth of flavors we have created within our wine barrels,” states Production Manager, Kolin Brighton. Winner of Best American Craft Whiskey at the 2016 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.
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About Cedar Ridge
Nestled in a picturesque stretch of the Heartlands, just outside the town of Swisher in Eastern Iowa, sits Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery and Distillery. Family-owned by Jeff and Laurie Quint, Jeff serves as both Master Distiller and Master Winemaker at the small operation, which has an outsized reputation for quality. Cedar Ridge — the first micro-distillery in the state — began distilling vodka back in 2005 before moving onto fruit liqueurs and, eventually, bourbon, crafting Iowa’s first bourbon whiskey since Prohibition.
"Iowa is a natural place to distill corn-based spirit," says Quint
About American Whiskey
There are two main representatives of the American whiskey family, bourbon, and rye, but some other spirits don't fall into those two strictly regulated categories.
There's equally strictly regulated American single malt, made from 100% malted barley, Tennessee whiskey, essentially bourbon filtered through maple charcoal and aged in new charred oak barrels.
And then there's moonshine, a high proof (150- 170 proof) distilled spirit mainly made out of corn which gained popularity during the prohibition.
Check out our impressive selection of American single malts, or find your new favorite in our rich whisk(e)y selection, and get familiarized with what the world has to offer.
