Back
in June, I had an opportunity to try The QuintEssential American Single Malt
from Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery in Swisher, Iowa. It is one of
my favorite things I’ve tasted in 2021. When Lost Lantern announced its Fall
2021 Single Cask collection and I found out Cedar Ridge’s American Single
Malt was one of the whiskeys, I wanted one – badly.
"The best whiskey reflects its origins, its craftsmanship, its ingredients, and its distillers. Inspired by the long tradition of independent bottlers in Scotland, Lost Lantern is a new, independent bottler of American whiskey. The company seeks out the most unique and exciting whiskeys being made all across the country and releases them as single casks and blends, always with a deep commitment to transparency." - Lost Lantern
Founded in 2018 by Nora
Ganley-Roper of Astor Wine & Spirits and Adam
Polonski of Whisky Advocate, the duo is committed to
releasing whiskeys from distilleries they've personally visited. Nora handles
production and operations, and Adam takes care of marketing, sales, and
sourcing. Currently, Lost Lantern's whiskeys can be purchased from LostLanternWhiskey.com or Seelbachs.com.
Cask 1 is the Cedar Ridge
American Single Malt aged two years in 53-gallon, new, American oak coopered at
Independent Stave Company, and then
finished another two years in 500-liter Jerez Sherry casks. The total yield was
555 bottles and packaged at 115.3°. Retail is approximately $110.00.
How does the sherry cask
finish affect the standard single malt?
The only way to find out is to #DrinkCurious.
But, before I do, I’d like to thank Lost Lantern for providing me a sample in
exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review.
Appearance: Poured
neat in my Glencairn glass, this American Single Malt presented as the color of
caramel. It formed a thin rim that yielded husky, lightning-fast legs that
crashed back to the pool of liquid sunshine.
Nose: The
bouquet from the glass was sweet and overflowing with caramel, raisin, apricot,
pear, and chocolate. When I drew the air into my mouth, it was as if I took a
bite from a prune.
Palate: The mouthfeel was thin, slick, and oily, and
led to my front palate picking out raisin, fig, apricot, and honey. It moved to
the middle as prune and cocoa. The back became warm and spicy with black
pepper, oak, chocolate, and the slightest appearance of date.
Finish: The finish was long-lasting and made it
abundantly clear it was a high-proof whiskey. My palate, which is used to
things with a much higher ABV content, numbed quickly. Black pepper, raisin,
fig, dark chocolate, and bone-dry oak rounded it out.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Cedar Ridge makes an incredibly delicious
American Single Malt. When you add a sherry cask finish to the mix, well, that just
opened up a whole new dimension. Yes, it was a bit hot, but that didn’t take
away from the experience. Is it worth $110.00 for a 750ml bottle? I’m not
completely convinced. It blurs somewhere between a Bottle and Bar, and when
that happens, I always opt for some wiggle room. Bar it is. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy to
Understand Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.
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As we should drink in moderation, all comments are subject to it. Cheers!