"The best whiskey reflects its origins, its craftsmanship, its ingredients, and its distillers. Inspired by the long tradition of independent bottlers in Scotland, Lost Lantern is a new, independent bottler of American whiskey. The company seeks out the most unique and exciting whiskeys being made all across the country and releases them as single casks and blends, always with a deep commitment to transparency." - Lost Lantern
Founded
in 2018 by Nora
Ganley-Roper of Astor Wine & Spirits
and Adam Polonski of Whisky
Advocate, the duo is committed to releasing
whiskeys from distilleries they've personally visited. Nora handles production
and operations, and Adam handles marketing, sales, and sourcing. Currently,
Lost Lantern's whiskeys can be purchased from LostLanternWhiskey.com or
Seelbachs.com.
One
thing that I'm passionate about is transparency. I respect that some things
have to be held close to the vest. However, that gets exciting when
distilleries lay most or all of their cards on the table. The fact that Lost
Lantern is also big on transparency is much appreciated.
Lost
Lantern’s 2024 Spring Collection was just released. It includes seven expressions
from the Midwest: Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin. All are single
casks except for one, a blend from five distilleries. We’ll explore each
whiskey individually. They’re all cask-strength, non-chill filtered, and
naturally-colored whiskeys. Each was sipped neat from a fresh Glencairn glass.
I
want to take a moment and thank Lost Lantern for providing me with samples of
each in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews.
Finally,
I am a 100% advocate for drinking responsibly. There is a lot of whiskey to
drink here, and the tastings didn’t occur in a single sitting. Aside from my
desire to avoid getting hammered, there is a thing called palate fatigue,
which is very real. My duty to you is to provide accurate tasting notes, but I
can’t do that after three consecutive pours.
Let’s
#DrinkCurious!
Starlight
Distillery Indiana Straight Bourbon Single Cask
- Age: 6 years in 53-gallon new, charred oak
- Mashbill: 60% corn, 20% malted barley, 10% rye, 10% wheat
- ABV: 59.35% (118.7°)
- Number of Bottles: 132
- Price: $90.00
Appearance: This
Bourbon presented as a dark orange amber. It created a thin rim and a sheet of
long, wavy legs.
Nose: The
aroma included cherries, toasted oak, caramel, nutmeg, and chocolate. When I
drew the air into my mouth, I found almonds.
Palate: The
creamy texture introduced the front of my palate to chocolate, nutmeg, and roasted
almonds. The middle offered cherries, honey, and toffee, while the back
included tastes of clove, black pepper, and barrel char.
Finish: Clove,
black pepper, charred oak, honey, and toffee remained in my mouth and throat. Overall,
it was a long, spicy finish.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust:
Starlight consistently delivers delicious whiskeys. It is a sweet-mash
distillery, as such, its consistency from batch to batch is lower than that of
distilleries that run off sour mash.
There are many Starlight
private single barrel barrel picks out there. I have one that’s 4.5 years old
and similarly proofed. This Lost Lantern version is 1.5 years older and about
33% more than the price I paid for mine. That extra time in wood is
worth a premium. Lost Lantern’s Starlight release is full of flavor and
character, and I can’t imagine anyone succumbing to buyer’s remorse. It takes
my Bottle rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
Wollersheim
Distillery Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Single Cask
- Age: 5 years in 53-gallon new, charred oak
- Mashbill: 66% corn, 22% rye, 12% malted barley
- ABV: 65.6% (131.2°)
- Number of Bottles: 200
- Price: $90.00
Appearance: Inside
my glass, this Bourbon formed a thick rim and slow, wide tears. It was the
color of rust.
Nose: I
smelled caramel, leather, tobacco, figs, and baked apples. Drawing the air
through my lips reminded me of raisins. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear this
was sherry-finished.
Palate: The
mouthfeel was oily. Stewed apples, cocoa, and caramel were on the front of my
palate. The middle included pecans, dried figs, and tobacco, while the back of
my palate encountered cinnamon spice, ancient leather, and toasted oak.
Finish: The
very long finish was not shy about the cinnamon, cocoa, leather, tobacco,
apricots, figs, and apples it left behind.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust:
Wollersheim is a local craft distillery on the opposite side of Madisonland
from where I live. I’ve been impressed with Distiller Tom (Lenerz) since
he started, and it has been fun to watch him grow into his own. He utilizes a
sweet mash for his whiskeys.
I have never had a
Wollersheim Bourbon at this proof, and I’ve tasted many. It drank nowhere near
its stated proof. Think about 20 points less! This is not your average Bourbon;
it offers flavors that float across the spectrum. It had intense fruity notes
as well as bold spices.
The $90.00 investment is
higher than what I’m used to from this distillery. Yet, it made me smile while
I savored the whiskey. I enjoyed it; I believe you will as well. It earns my Bottle
rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
FEW
Spirits Illinois Straight Bourbon Single Cask
- Age: 5 years in 53-gallon new, charred oak
- Mashbill: 70% corn, 20% rye, 10% malted barley
- ABV: 63.2% (124.6°)
- Number of Bottles: 200
- Price: $90.00
Appearance: This
Bourbon was a deep orange with a skinny rim and wide, sticky tears.
Nose: My
olfactory sense picked out orange peel, dry oak, nutmeg, rye bread, and
almonds. I got a mouthful of apples and pears when I inhaled through my lips.
Palate: The
Bourbon had a thin mouthfeel. I tasted nutmeg and cinnamon on the front of my
palate; the middle offered chocolate and honey. The back consisted of oak,
black pepper, and tobacco leaf.
Finish: Tobacco
leaf, black pepper, chocolate, and honey remain for a medium-length finish.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This
was a hot whiskey, drinking above its stated 124.6°. It is comparatively priced
to the Starlight and Wollersheim Bourbons but lacks a similar depth. It was a
decent pour; however, I’d be more comfortable if it was priced accordingly. My Bar
rating is fair.
◊◊◊◊◊
Tom’s
Foolery Ohio Straight Rye Single Cask
- Age: 9 years in 53-gallon new, charred oak barrels
- Mashbill: 70% winter rye and 30% malted rye
- ABV: 58.25% (116.5°)
- Number of Bottles: 170
- Price: $120.00
Appearance: This American
Rye had the color of caramel. It produced a thin rim that released a flowy
curtain of tears.
Nose: I
smelled floral rye, mint, dill, and malt. When I brought the vapor into my
mouth, I tasted vanilla mint.
Palate: I found
the silky texture enticing. Bold rye flavors rushed across my palate from front
to back. Cinnamon and nutmeg joined it on the front, dark chocolate and honey
at the midpoint, with mint and caramel on the back.
Finish: The
Tom’s Foolery Rye had a finish that wouldn’t quit. It consisted of dark
chocolate, caramel, rye spice, and mint.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: It has
been several years since I’ve come across a new expression of Tom’s Foolery: a
Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. It was unlike any Bourbon I’d had before. This
American Rye has a 100% rye mashbill, which isn’t overly common. That alone
makes it an exciting sipping opportunity.
Tom’s Foolery created a
whiskey that drank at its stated proof. It warmed the mouth without setting
things afire. And, like the Bourbon I mentioned, this American Rye is unique –
and in a good way. Yet, it is a serious hit on the wallet. Would I pay $90.00
for it? Probably. Would I pay the $120.00 asking price? No. This one takes my Bar
rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
Middle
West Ohio Straight Rye Single Cask
- Age: 4 years in 53-gallon new, charred oak
- Mashbill: 80% rye, 10% corn, 5% wheat, 5% malted barley
- ABV: 63% (126°)
- Number of Bottles: 197
- Price: $90.00
Appearance: The liquid
in my glass was a rusty orange. A jagged rim formed, holding dearly to tiny droplets.
Nose: The
aroma was fruity with plums, cherries, and cinnamon apples. I also smelled toffee
and leather. There was a note of circus peanuts when I drew the air into my
mouth.
Palate: The
silky mouthfeel introduced my palate to rye spice, cherries, and figs. At
mid-palate, there were cinnamon apples and nutmeg. I tasted leather, chocolate,
and orange peel on the back.
Finish: Long in
duration, the finish included flavors of orange peel, chocolate, cinnamon
apples, and plums.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The
nose and palate were unusual for an American Rye. I was surprised by how intense
the fruit notes were. The whiskey drank below its stated proof by at least ten
points. It is, simply put, a stunning example of what American Rye can be. This
is one where the price is easily justified, and it takes my Bottle
rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
Cedar
Ridge Iowa Straight Wheat Single Cask
- Age: 6 years in 53-gallon, new charred oak
- Mashbill: 100% malted white winter wheat
- ABV: 61.55% (123.1)
- Number of Bottles: 203
- Price: $90.00
Appearance: This reddish-brown
whiskey created a thick rim with quick, medium-width legs.
Nose: My
nostrils were able to pluck leather, clove, baked apples, chocolate, and rye
bread. In my mouth, the air tasted of caramel.
Palate: This
whiskey possessed an oily texture. Nutmeg, mint, and caramel were on the front,
with plums, apples, and cinnamon at mid-palate. The back offered toasted oak,
rye bread, and clove.
Finish: Long
and lingering, the finish had cinnamon spice, rye bread, oak, and bold clove.
After those dispersed, very dark chocolate and mint were left behind and
remained for several minutes.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Cedar
Ridge has put out some impressive whiskeys, especially when explored at barrel-proof.
It does a marvelous job at American Single Malt. Lost Lantern’s barrel is bold,
fruity, and tasty. In particular, the finish was outstanding, and the Wheat Whiskey
snags my Bottle rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
Far Flung
Rye
- Distilleries: Cedar Ridge (Iowa), Middle West Spirits (Ohio), Starlight Distillery (Indiana), Tom’s Foolery Distillery (Ohio), and Wollersheim Distillery (Wisconsin)
- Age: 4 years; the range is between 4 and 9 years
- ABV: 60.8% (121.6°)
- Number of Bottles: 486
- Price: $100.00
Appearance: This
blended American Rye provided an orange-gold color. The wide rim produced fast,
crooked tears.
Nose: I
smelled freshly cut grass, mint, and earthy mushrooms. The air left a sensation
of vanilla on my tongue.
Palate: This
whiskey had a creamy mouthfeel. I tasted cherry, nutmeg, and dark chocolate on
the front. Rye spice, thick caramel, and nutmeg were next, followed by caramel,
leather, and tobacco.
Finish: Oak
finally introduced itself. Tobacco, caramel, rye spice, cinnamon, and leather
competed for attention. Overall, the duration was medium to long.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Assuming
that at least three of the above single cask Ryes were used in this blend, their
dominant flavors were lost. I’ve had several Ryes from Wollersheim and
Starlight; they were bold and flavorful. Far Flung Rye was amazingly mild
despite its proof. It would never be mistaken for a spice bomb. It was decidedly
different, and I’d be hard-pressed to spend a Ben Franklin on this blend. It
wasn’t bad by any means; it was, however, unimpressive. My Bar rating is
appropriate.
Final Thoughts: Lost
Lantern does a great job picking unusual, off-profile barrels. That’s a good
thing because that’s the same philosophy I have when selecting private barrels.
While I was less impressed with the blend, I’ve had others that are fabulous;
it does know what it is doing, but this one just wasn’t a winner.
If I had to rank these in
order, it would be Wollersheim, Starlight, Middle West, Cedar Ridge, Tom’s
Foolery, FEW Spirits, and Far Flung Rye.
This has been an enjoyable
experience. Thanks for reading. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.
Comments
Post a Comment
As we should drink in moderation, all comments are subject to it. Cheers!