Review of Lost Lantern's Fall 2024 Collection

 

Independent bottling is not something overly familiar to American whiskey drinkers. It is obtusely, but you don't hear about it in the same terms as you do with Scotch. In theory, folks who source whiskey from others and put their label on it might be considered independent bottlers. However, few try to claim their niche as independent bottlers. Lost Lantern is one such independent bottler.

 

"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 Fall 2024 Collection was released, containing four of its boldest whiskeys yet. They come from Tom’s Foolery, New York Distilling Company, Spirit Works, and Westland. All are single casks; all, except for one, are a decade old! The fourth just missed at 9.99 years. 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.

 

Thank you, Lost Lantern, for providing me with samples of each in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews.

 

Lastly, I am a 100% advocate for drinking responsibly. These high-proof 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.

 

Let’s #DrinkCurious!

 

Tom’s Foolery Ohio Straight Bourbon Single Cask

 

 

• Age: 10 years in 53-gallon new, #4-charred oak barrel
• Mashbill: 63% corn, 10% winter rye, 24% malted Vienna barley, 3% malted two-row barley
• Entry Proof: 119.5°
• ABV: 59.7% (119.4°)
• Number of Bottles: 82
• Price: $150.00

 

Appearance: The deep, dark amber liquid had a slightly reddish tint. The medium rim shed tightly-spaced, thick, fast tears.

 

Nose: When I brought the glass under my nostrils, I found notes of corn, maple syrup, brown sugar, nutmeg, and toasted vanilla. Drawing the air through my lips provided toasted oak.

 

Palate: Tom Foolery’s mouthfeel was thin and exceptionally oily. I tasted rich vanilla, cornbread, and dry oak on the front. Midway through were tobacco, nutmeg, and old leather. The back included cocoa powder, malt, and butterscotch.  

 

Finish: The medium-long finish rang in at 1:42. Flavors of tobacco, nutmeg, dry oak, leather, and butterscotch remained, with the leather outlasting the rest.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This rendition from Tom’s Foolery was unusual. With how sweet it started, it was unexpected to have it end that way. It was almost like a savory sandwich. It drank perhaps 20 points under its stated proof, which made me do a double-take on the label to ensure I didn’t misread anything. It is a delicious Bourbon for sure, and while I understand 10-year whiskeys command a higher price, I’d want to try it at a Bar before paying for the cost of admission.

 

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New York Distilling Co Straight Rye Single Barrel

 

 

• Age: 10 years in 53-gallon new, #3-charred oak barrel
• Mashbill: 72% rye, 16% corn, 12% malted barley
• Entry Proof: 115°
• ABV: 66.95% (133.9°)
• Number of Bottles: 125
• Price: $150.00

 

Appearance: New York Distilling’s rye possessed a whiskey a few shades shy of caramel and formed a microthin rim, producing slow, thick, and tightly-spaced tears.

 

Nose: The first thing I smelled was lemon meringue pie, and my first thought was, Is this a rye? I sniffed again, and yeah, that’s precisely what it was! There was a pinch of cinnamon, and that was it. I pulled the air into my mouth and found more meringue.

 

Palate: At this point, I was intrigued and needed to know what this American Rye would taste like. Its texture was creamy and thick, and I encountered fudge, cocoa, and nutmeg on the front of my palate. Mint, caramel, and cinnamon were at mid-palate, while the back featured ginger spice, oak tannins, and dark chocolate.

 

Finish: This American Rye had one of the longest finishes I’ve come across in quite some time. The duration was 4:38, featuring caramel, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, and oak. Cocoa held on the longest.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The nose and palate differences were astounding. What happened to the lemon pie? There was no tart. The only sweet note was buried in the middle; the rest was savory and spicy. This was a Rye full of flavors and character, yet I’m unconvinced on the price. Hence, it earns my Bar rating.

 

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Spirit Works California Straight Rye Single Barrel

 

 

• Age: 10 years in 53-gallon new, #4-charred oak barrel
• Mashbill: 70% rye, 10% malted rye, 20% malted barley
• Entry Proof: 114°
• ABV: 58.25% (139.2°)
• Number of Bottles: 120
• Price: $150.00

 

Appearance: The liquid in my glass looked like a deep, orange amber. It formed a thicker rim with widely spaced, medium-speed tears.

 

Nose: There was spearmint, for sure. Other notes included lemongrass, vanilla, chocolate, and oak. Inhaling the vapor into my mouth offered lemon zest.

 

Palate: This Rye’s texture was thin and silky. The front was vanilla with lemon zest and caramel. The middle included tastes of brown sugar, mint, and eucalyptus. Flavors of menthol, oak, and cinnamon were on the back.

 

Finish: Menthol, mint, cinnamon, and brown sugar competed for the spotlight. The finish clocked in at 2:21, placing it in the long category.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, all cough syrup was minty and possessed a menthol quality. I couldn’t get past how this American Rye reminded me of that. Perhaps if I wasn’t prehistoric myself, I could have enjoyed what was in my glass. Unfortunately, I’m flawed and believe this whiskey is, too. It takes my Bust rating.

 

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Westland Peated American Single Malt Single Cask

 

• Age: 9 years, 364 days in 200-liter new, lightly-toasted, heavily charred oak
• Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley, about 55ppm
• Entry Proof: 110°
• ABV: 54.9% (119.8°)
• Number of Bottles: 185
• Price: $150.00

 

Appearance: The orange-amber whiskey generated a microthin rim that held onto thick droplets. Eventually, a wavy curtain formed and collapsed back into the pool.

 

Nose: The very second I unscrewed the cap on my sample bottle, I was greeted with the lovely smell of peat. I allowed this whiskey to breathe for about ten minutes and then brought the glass to my nostrils. The aroma included smoky peat, torched caramel, and pears. I inhaled that air and experienced a waft of baked apple pie.

 

Palate: The texture was thin but creamy. Caramel-coated apples on the front followed light soot. My mid-palate discovered rich vanilla, orange peel, and roasted almonds. The back tasted of toasted oak, leather, and toffee.

 

Finish: Sweet and savory flavors of vanilla, apples, and toffee crossed with smoky oak and leather in a well-balanced, not-long-enough production. In reality, it lasted 2:05, which is plenty. I just wanted more.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Ten years is well-aged for Bourbon or Rye. A decade for Scotch is when it just hits its prime. For American Single Malt, you’re into ancient territory. Two, three, maybe four years is the norm. Ten is almost unheard of. This one from Westland is… well… stunning. It made me smile at the first sip, and things only got better with the second. It is well-balanced peaty, yet not overwhelming. It was unlike any other American Single Malt I’ve tried. I wish other distillers would allow these longer age statements. As for Lost Lantern’s, this one takes my Bottle rating.

 

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Final Thoughts: Here’s the quandary – Independent bottlers provide something off-profile and special, and Lost Lantern has done its due diligence with the Fall Collection. With Scotches, few people blink an eye at $150.00. Yet, the $150.00 for American whiskeys must be for one that is almost life-changing. Three highlighted Nora’s and Adam’s talents, but only one hit that target. Don’t be discouraged by the Bar ratings; value perceptions skewed those. 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.