Iowa Fall-Winter 2022-2023 - 39

while. With that in mind, consider a small, lightweight
spirit such as a mini (50 ml " airplane " bottle) or a
four-pack sampler of mini's.
Blue Ox Gin, 50 ml. Blue Ox is a premium liquor
from Grimes. With a bold, distinctive label this product
is produced from Iowa corn, juniper, coriander,
citrus peel, and other botanicals. The flavor profile is
complex, fresh and floral with notes of kaffir lime,
melon, stone fruit and tapioca.
Prairie Fire Mini, 50 ml. This is a small bottle that
packs a big punch. Prairie Fire is a 70-proof, cinnamon
flavored whiskey. Produced by the Iowa Distilling
Company in Cumming, this drink is sweet and hot. It
has a strong aroma of cinnamon, hot pepper and
baking spices, but the taste is more mild, with notes
of butterscotch, citrus and toffee.
Iowish Cream Liqueur Mini, 50 ml. This is a silky
low-alcohol (38 proof) liqueur from LeClaire that is
distilled from locally sourced corn, Iowa coffee, cinnamon
and vanilla. The distiller recommends trying
it as an after-dinner drink or in a sweet cocktail.
NEIGHBORS
Well, they're not far away and you could very well get
invited over to share, so think about your own favorites.
Any of this writer's faves fit you?
Cedar Ridge Double Barrel Bourbon, 750 ml.
Wild Turkey 101, 1 L. Wild Turkey 101 is made
from a mixture of six, seven and eight-yearold
whiskeys. It's a straight high-rye bourbon
that's bottled, you guessed it, at 101
proof. On the nose, you'll get baking spices,
nutmeg, oak and a touch of white pepper.
The taste is a combination of caramel,
brown sugar, cardamom and some plum
in the finish.
MAIL CARRIER
Remember that when you hand a gift to your mail
carrier, he or she will have to haul it around for a
This is a cask-strength straight bourbon whiskey that's
been non-chill filtered. From Iowa, Double Barrel has
an ABV of 52.5% and a mashbill of 74% corn, 14% rye
and 12% malted barley. The aroma is bright and complex:
nutmeg, walnuts, dried fruit and white chocolate.
The taste hits you with anise, allspice, carob and
butterscotch with a medium-long finish.
Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, 1 L. From the Caribbean
island of St. Croix, this is an 80-proof spirit aged
between two and four years in charred oak barrels,
which leads to a flavor profile not unlike bourbon.
This is sweet and oaky with notes of molasses, stone
fruit and almond extract. Try it over ice or neat, as
this is a sipping rum with a buttery mouthfeel and
clean finish.
Brusco Mezcal Artesanal, 750 ml. Bruno Mezcal
Artesanal had been produced since 2012 by Materia
Prima in Jalisco, Mexico. The agave is cooked in brick
and stone ovens before open-air fermentation in
stainless steels tanks. The spirit is 100% agave, distilled
in pot stills, and the water is sourced from a
deep local well.
FALL 2022 | WINTER 2023 39
Iowa Fall-Winter 2022-2023

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