Cedar Ridge Double Barrel Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery is a grain-to-glass craft distillery located in Swisher, Iowa. Founded in 2005 by Jeff Quint, Cedar Ridge is the first Iowa-licensed distillery since Prohibition. He came from a long line of farmers, and he began his operation to realize that it was time for Iowa to earn its way onto the Bourbon distilling map.

 

"Fine craftsmanship is a true reflection of Iowa’s mentality of doing the best with what nature gives them. No temperature control aging, minimal waste, and that Midwest resourcefulness put production first, favoring quality over quantity." - Cedar Ridge Distillery

 

Double Barrel Bourbon was distilled from Cedar Ridge’s standard 74% Iowa-grown corn, 14% malted rye, and 12% two-row malted barley recipe. While it carries no age statement, the regular Bourbon is aged three years. Once fully matured, it is then dumped and poured into a new, charred oak barrel for an undisclosed time. It is a limited-release Bourbon available in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota, and you can expect to pay about $49.99 for a 750ml package.  Cedar Ridge plans to make this an annual limited release.

 

I want to thank Cedar Ridge for providing a sample of Double Barrel Bourbon in exchange for a no-strings-attached, honest review. And now, I’ll #DrinkCurious to see how Cedar Ridge did with this whiskey.

 

Appearance:  I drank this neat in my Glencairn glass. It presented as rich caramel color. I gave my glass a gentle swirl, and it formed a thinner rim with fast, medium-thick tears that fell back to the pool.

 

Nose: The first aroma that hit was root beer, which was interesting. I also found clove, oak, vanilla, and berries. When I took the air into my mouth, I discovered more root beer.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was warm and oily. I tasted caramel, corn, and vanilla cream on the front of my tongue. The middle featured cola, raw almonds, and nutmeg. On the back, I picked up butterscotch, clove, and smoke.

 

Finish: The duration ran between medium and long and consisted of charred oak (lots of charred oak), black pepper, clove, butterscotch, and root beer.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  This pour was unusual and kept my attention as I tried to figure out what was happening in my mouth. The first sip was oak-heavy, but subsequent ones toned down. The root beer was fascinating because it is an uncommon note. It is a limited-edition, higher-proofed craft Bourbon and provides a ton of bang for the buck. I enjoyed Double Barrel Bourbon immensely and believe you will, too. A Bottle rating all the way. 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.