Cedar Ridge Malted Rye Whiskey is “one of only three malted rye whiskeys made in the world” according to the distillers, but I can think of 3 others off the top of my head. High West OMG Rye, Lot 40 Canadian Rye Whisky and Highspire Rye. Admittedly Highspire is a new whiskey and they might not have updated their site in a while so I’ll give them a pass… for now.
The actual mashbill of Cedar Ridge Malted Rye hasn’t been disclosed, but per the TTB requirements it has to be made from at least 51% malted rye so we know that the mashbill at least starts there. We also know that this is a 100% rye whiskey and so up to 49% of the whiskey could be un-malted rye. While I don’t know the actual ratios, I do know that they produce a fairly tasty whiskey.
Cedar Ridge Malted Rye Whiskey Info
Region: Iowa, USA
Distiller: Cedar Ridge Vineyards
Mashbill: 51% (or more) Malted Rye, 49% (or less) Rye
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: NAS
ABV: 43%
Price: $40*
Cedar Ridge Malted Rye Whiskey Review
EYE
Straw
NOSE
Rye spice, fruit, honey, vanilla and a bit of a wood shop character mixed with a hoppy bit of citrus. There is a Kool-Aid Bursts sweetness that haunts the nose and takes me back to the days when my lunch was carried to school in a blue Inspector Gadget lunch box.
PALATE
Bready rye, toffee, honeybutter on toast and fruity sweetness like a a bag of Gushers. This whiskey is taking me back to Elementary school and to be honest i’m not sure how I feel about a whiskey reminding me of the days when my underwear had superheroes on them… excluding present weekends that is.
FINISH
Medium fruity fade complimented with notes of rye bread with a bit of menthol.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, medium body and a soft unassuming feel.
OVERALL
Cedar Ridge Malted Rye Whiskey is decent. It’s not very complex, but it’s also not bad so it ends up being ok. The relatively small range of aromas and flavors presumably stem from its relative youth as it hasn’t had enough time-in-oak to coax out more bolder flavors and a broader range of subtleties. After writing up my notes I shared the rest of the sample I received with some friends so I didn’t get a chance to try it in any cocktails, but it has a certain something to it that I think would go really well in cocktails if the proof was kicked up to at least 50%.
I’m not a proof whore by any means, but when I’m using a whiskey for mixing I like it to be at least 50% ABV to prevent it from getting too diluted in the drinks. Cedar Ridge doesn’t have a massive distribution, but if you find some at a bar or something it’s unique enough that it’s definitely worth a try.
SCORE: 83/100
*Disclosure: This sample of Cedar Ridge Malted Rye Whiskey was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
