This month, Whiskey Network commemorates a rare and resplendent milestone: the 20th anniversary of Cedar Ridge Distillery. They are a venerable whiskey institution nestled within the verdant expanse of Iowa’s corn belt. This anniversary is graced by the presence of the appropriate gem: the enigmatic and elegant emerald. Steeped in mystique, it has long symbolized twenty years of enduring excellence. In keeping with its quiet majesty, we invite our readers to revel in celebration appropriate for such a storied milestone.
The story begins, as many American epics do, with soil that is dark, fertile, and patient. Since 1881, the Quint family has tilled the lands, coaxing from the earth a bounty of corn so abundant that its journey reaches pantries across the nation. Winthrop, Iowa is where this journey took root, and it is known affectionately as the “Friendliest Town for Miles Around.” Fittingly so. Like an emerald cloaked in whispers of moss, its emerald hue reflects both natural bounty and the warmth of human character. Yet unlike other stones, its imperfections (inclusions) are not flaws. They are celebrated. Known as “Jardin,” (French for “garden”) these internal gardens evoke a deeper truth: beauty does not lie in uniformity, but in the wild and untamed bounty of the Earth.
In more recent times, this tale turns from grain to glory; this humble crop has taken a different path that is not bound for a silo, nor to a grocery shelf. Rather, it’s headed to the stills located in Swisher, Iowa. Founded in 2005 by vintners and visionaries Jeff and Laurie Quint, Cedar Ridge became the first licensed distillery in Iowa since Prohibition with a profound declaration of intent. That intention? To introduce the world to Iowa’s bourbon: born of heritage, tempered by craft, and imbued with an unmistakable sense of place.
Crafting whiskey is a delicate symphony that is part science, part sorcery. It begins with measured hands and careful equations, but somewhere within the oak and copper, a transformation occurs. That extraordinary alchemy finds its guiding force in Master Distiller Murphy Quint, whose artistry channels both precision and wonder.
Yet even a master’s touch bows gently to the whims of nature. In Iowa, the shifting moods of wind and weather (hot summers, bitter frost, and the whisper of prairie rain) conspire with the distiller’s vision, imparting a signature found nowhere else.
Murphy is a conjurer of craft who is equal parts renegade and alchemist. Through his hand, the essence of Cedar Ridge Distillery emerges bold and true. Around him, a devoted cadre of artisans lend their own spiritual magic. Each spirit born from this place carries within it the mark of many, as they speak a collective incantation drawn from the soul of Iowa.
Among its core offerings, one expression gleams with particular brilliance: The QuintEssential American Single Malt. This whiskey, bearing both the name and spirit of the distillery’s lineage, has emerged as a keystone in the architecture of the American Single Malt movement. That influence was formally etched into history on December 18, 2024, when the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) bestowed official recognition upon the category. A milestone for the nation, born of a vision from Iowa’s garden.
Yet Cedar Ridge is not merely defined by accolades, but the whiskey world has taken notice. For example, they have been lauded as Distillery of the Year (2017, American Distilling Institute) and Best American Craft Whiskey (2016, New York World Spirits Competition). This distillery is clearly defined by its people. To that end, 2024 saw a new chapter begin with Jamie Siefken ascending to President and General Manager. Murphy Quint, who once shared his story with us, stepped into the role of Master Distiller while continuing to steer operations. Andy Klimesh assumed the mantle of Chief Financial Officer. Steady as ever at the helm, Jeff Quint remains the founder, CEO, and steward of Cedar Ridge’s singular spirit.
Finally, a shared and unshakable belief binds Cedar Ridge and Whiskey Network: that there exists a profound, almost mystical, bond between music and whiskey. Both are born from elemental transformation: grain into spirit, silence into sound. Undeniably, both speak to something deeper within us.
This belief found bold embodiment in a remarkable collaboration with Slipknot, the powerhouse metal collective hailing from Des Moines, Iowa. Far from a mere licensing arrangement, this partnership is a fusion of kindred spirits rooted in a mutual reverence for craftsmanship and an abiding loyalty to their native soil. Together, they have co-created five distinct expressions, each imbued with the ferocity of metal and the finesse of fine whiskey. Here, music and whiskey do not merely coexist. They inspire greatness across disciplines.
Cedar Ridge is a place where stories rise with the corn as it breaks through the soil and stretches toward the Midwestern sky. Through a process that blends science with a touch of magic, that corn is transformed into the delicious whiskey in your glass. Let’s dive deep all this month in Whiskey Network Magazine into the versatile and varied line of expressions to see what Cedar Ridge truly has to offer.
GETTING TO KNOW CEDAR RIDGE
CORE WHISKEYS
Cedar Ridge Straight Bourbon Whiskey
86 proof/43% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% Malted Barley
The QuintEssential
American Single Malt
92 proof/46% ABV
100% 2-Row Pale Malted Barley
Barrel Proof Bourbon
116 Proof/58% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% Malted Barley
No. 3 Char and Non-Chill Filtered
Wheat Whiskey
86 proof/43% ABV
100% Malted White Wheat
Straight Rye Whiskey
86 proof/43% ABV
12% Corn, 85% Rye, 3% Malted Barley
Aged a minimum of 3 years
LIMITED RELEASES
Double Barrel Rye
105 proof/52.5% ABV
12% Corn, 85% Rye, 3% Malted Barley
Double Barrel Bourbon
105 proof/52.5% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Port Cask Finished Bourbon
94 proof/47% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey
100 proof/50% ABV
12% Corn, 85% Malted Rye, 3% Malted Barley
Aged in a Federally Bonded Warehouse
All barrels harvested from the same season
4-years old
Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
100 proof/50% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Aged in a Federally Bonded Warehouse
All barrels harvested from the same season
Minimum of 4-years old
Port Cask Rye
105 proof/52.5% ABV
12% Corn, 85% Rye, 3% Malted Barley
Sir Maple Bourbon
86 proof, 43% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% 2-Row Malted Barley
Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels
Amontillado Sherry Finished Bourbon
115 proof/57.5% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% Malted Barley
SPECIAL RELEASES
The QuintEssential Special Release
Number 5
The Untitled Cigar Malt Project
Portside
Pete & Sherri Married – 1st Anniversary
First Fill Sherry Cask
Wine Club First Meeting
The QuintEssential Single Cask Series
Sauternes
Peated Malt in Amontillado Sherry
Tawny Port
Marquette Red Wine
Cabernet
Ex-Bourbon Cask
New American Oak
Tokaji Cask
Cedar Ridge Bourbon
Single Barrel Collection
Barrel #18.0915: 122.2 proof/60.6 ABV
Barrel #19.0540: 123.1 proof/62.55% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% 2-Row Malted Barley
PARTNER RELEASES
Slipknot No.9 Iowa Whiskey
90 proof/45% ABV
51% Corn, 35% Malted Rye, 14% 2-Row Malted Barley
Slipknot No.9 Reserve
99 proof/49.5% ABV
51% Corn, 35% Malted Rye, 14% Malted Barely
Slipknot Red Cask No.9
96 proof/48% ABV
51% Corn, 35% Malted Rye, 14% Malted Barley
Clown’s Iowa Shine
90 proof/45% ABV
74% Corn, 14% Malted Rye, 12% Malted Barley
Whiskey Network raises its glass to Cedar Ridge, and we invite our readers into this emerald garden. Throughout the month of August, we will explore Cedar Ridge’s history, share a cigar pairing, explore a cocktail ritual, provide expert reviews, and even have a special feature in Dice and Drams. Together, we will explore the rare clarity, cherished character, and enduring craftsmanship that define this American treasure.
As the sun arcs over the cornfields of Buchanan County, casting long shadows on the rickhouse walls, we find a legacy in bloom. In each dram of Cedar Ridge whiskey there is a whisper of wind through grain and a lineage of hands that shaped it.
This is craft and character twenty years in the making.
