Review: Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential Signature Blend
Review: Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential Signature Blend
Cedar Ridge is an Iowa-based producer of whiskey, specifically, well, what kind of whiskey doesn’t Cedar Ridge make (and brandy, and wine, and… everything)? With The QuintEssential, Cedar Ridge takes its 2-row barley single malt whiskey, ages it in bourbon casks for two years, then finishes it in up to 20 different types of wine and Port casks. Batches are vatted solera style — we’re on batch 6 right now — so the thing gets more and more complex as time goes on. That’s the idea, anyway. Let’s give it a try.
The QuintEssential plays its hand cool at the start, a granary-heavy aroma laced with notes of roasted mushrooms, barrel char, and hints of black tea. Notes of Sicilian olives give it a curiously vegetal, earthy character — even a bit salty at times. So far, so so… but then the palate opens up to a world of new experiences. Lightly sweet with notes of honey grahams, sesame cookies, and almonds, the whiskey dives into notes of applesauce and sultanas, persimmon and some gingersnap notes. The finish brightens up with notes of lemon curd and a touch of lime zest, with notes of coconut flesh and more sesame oil lingering.
It’s complex, and slightly weird, stuff — and well worth exploring given its nuances. A steal at 50 bucks.
92 proof. Reviewed: Batch #006.
A- / $50 / crwine.com
Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential Signature Blend
$50
About Post Author
Have had several of their products over the past yrs. including the QuintEssential. All of them have been excellent, We always stop at the Distillery/Winery when ever we are in the area.