Institute raises a glass to Cedar Ridge's bourbon – Iowa City Press

Iowa’s first bourbon continues to take center stage in the corn state.

Cedar Ridge’s Iowa bourbon whiskey was awarded a Gold Medal and given a score of 91 with an “Exceptional” rating by the Beverage Testing Institute last week. The score is among the highest ratings given in the entire whiskey category and the highest score provided to an Iowa whiskey, general manager Jamie Siefken said.

“We’re all really excited (about the award),” Siefken said. “Any time you get any kind of award, it’s a good deal, but this is definitely a great award to get from this particular institute.”

Notes from BTI’s review of Cedar Ridge’s bourbon include: “Attractive aromas of honeyed dried peaches and baking spices with a satiny fruity-yet-dry medium body and a frosted golden raisin cake, spice and mineral finish. Very tasty and crowd pleasing.”

In July 2010, Cedar Ridge’s distillery released the state’s first bourbon since Prohibition. Made in small batches in a European-engineered 80-gallon pot still with 75 percent Iowa corn, Siefken said it only makes sense that Iowa have its own bourbon.

“Being the corn state, it’s a big deal to have bourbon. It’s like the corn whiskey,” he said. “And being the corn state … we are able to make a high-quality (bourbon) even better.”

This is Cedar Ridge’s second award for its bourbon — it also was given the Gold Medal at the 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Siefken said. The bourbon is the fourth addition to its dark spirits portfolio of Dark Aged Rum, Grape Brandy and Apple Brandy.

“Cedar Ridge bourbon is quickly becoming our flagship product and Iowa’s most awarded whiskey,” Cedar Ridge proprietor Jeff Quint said in a news release. “This award … confirms our bourbon’s spot among the very best whiskies throughout the world. We’re proud to represent the best that Iowa and the Midwest produces.”