Cedar Ridge "Nine and 3/4" American Rye Review

 

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 began his operation, realizing it was time for Iowa to earn its place on the Bourbon distilling map.

 

In its infancy, the distillery utilized only corn grown on the family farm. As Cedar Ridge’s whiskeys became more popular, it couldn’t grow enough corn fast enough and now relies on 100% Iowa-grown corn to supplement what the family can grow. The barrels are stored in natural-environment warehouses, which allows the angels to take a larger-than-average share of the whiskey – about 18% versus the national average of 12%.

 

Today, we’ll explore its newest limited release: Nine and Three Quarters Rye.

 

“This is the oldest whiskey Cedar Ridge has ever released. What excites me most is not the age itself, but everything that unfolded while it matured. Most of the distillate in this bottle was made by people who no longer work here. They laid down the spirit years ago and moved on. All the while that whiskey kept maturing in the barrel, quietly waiting for the current team to finish what the old team started. It is a beautiful reminder of how much this distillery has evolved, and how whiskey quietly bridges the past with the future.” -Murphy Quint, Master Blender

 

Distilled from a mash of 85% rye, 12% corn, and 3% malted barley, and aged in new, #3-char American oak barrels, the youngest of the batch was 9 years, and a majority were 9.75 years old (hence the name). There are older stocks in the blend, with one hitting that decade mark. It is packaged at 57.5% ABV (115°) and carries a suggested price tag of $59.00. It can be purchased from the distillery or its online store, and will be available nationwide. The “limited” aspect is that this is a one-and-done bottling.

 

So, how does this record-breaking American Rye taste? Thankfully, Cedar Ridge was kind enough to send me a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover the answer.

 

• Whiskey Type: American Rye
• Distiller: Cedar Ridge Distillery
• Age: 9 years
• Mashbill: 85% rye, 12% corn, and 3% malted barley
• Cooperage: New American oak char 3 barrels
• Alcohol Content: 57.5% ABV (115°)
• Price per 750mL: $59.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this whiskey neat. It had a deep, dark, burnt orange appearance. The Rye created a thin rim with slower, husky tears.

 

Nose: After allowing Nine and Three Quarteres to rest for about 15 minutes, I was ready to start my nosing adventure. The aroma included buttered biscuits, ripe plums, dates, oak, rye spice, and clove. When I pulled the vapor into my mouth, the air tasted very similar to Dr. Pepper.  

 

Palate: The initial sip unveiled a thick, creamy texture with a punch of oak, cloves, and plums, and was exceedingly dry. The second tamed that palate shock significantly, allowing me to experience notes of old leather, prunes, and dark-toasted biscuits on the front. My mid-palate discerned flavors of dates, rye spice, and old oak. Black pepper, clove, and ginger spice were on the back.

 

Finish: Good golly. Firstly, any moisture that existed in my mouth was desert-dry. Between the leather and old oak, I guess that was enough to keep things arid. Secondly, I found sweet notes of prunes and dates, while the ginger, black pepper, and clove kept things spicier. It was even-keeled yet robust, lasting 1:18, with leather being the final component to fade away.   

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Between its dryness and piquantness during the back and finish, my attention was captivated. I loved the sweeter notes, which, for a mature American Rye, particularly one with a heavy rye content, is uncommon.

 

Let’s talk about price. At 115° and almost 10 years old, charging only $59.99 is incredibly affordable, perhaps even stupidly underpriced (please, Quint family, don’t take that the wrong way; it is, albeit weirdly, a compliment). Grab a Bottle. You won’t be unhappy. 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 to do so responsibly.