Review: Lost Lantern Summer 2024 Single Cask Releases and More
Vermont-based Lost Lantern first launched their bourbon-focused series Summer of Bourbon in 2023 with a simple message that “great bourbon now comes from all over the United States.” They’re back in 2024 with another exclusive bourbon lineup for the summer (which is also on the heels of this year’s Spring 2024 series featuring whiskeys more broadly). There are a total of nine releases in the 2024 roster which spans quite an ambitious chunk of the country and its independent distilleries.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s just get cracking.
Lost Lantern Woodinville Washington Straight Bourbon Single Cask – It’s been a minute since Drinkhacker reviewed and enjoyed Woodinville’s 90 proof Straight Bourbon in 2017. Today we try a cask-strength expression and upon first whiff on the nose, there is a great amount of spice, juicy prunes, and a banana-kissed caramel. The palate starts with loads of mint and leather, riding into dusty cacao and chocolate covered walnut shells. This pour is all about the oak but sweetness appears at just the right spots. Aged 6 years, 200 bottles produced. 116.9 proof. A- / $100
Lost Lantern Union Horse Kansas Straight Bourbon Single Cask – This is Lost Lantern’s first whiskey from Kansas and Union Horse, and the third for Drinkhacker, having reviewed their single malt and rye earlier this year. Our first turn with their straight bourbon opens up with a nose with classic burnt creme brulee and caramel sweetness with accents of cinnamon and almond butter. The palate is surprisingly gentle given the near-120 proof that just coats the tongue with creamy caramel and flirty levels of cinnamon spice. A rather delicate and soothing easy sipper which could sneak up on you. Aged 5 years, 200 bottles produced. 119.9 proof. A / $90
Lost Lantern High Wire South Carolina Straight Bourbon Single Cask – The first and only crossing Drinkhacker has had with this distillery was for an interview by fellow writer Jonathan Glover in October 2023. Today, we will just dive right into our first pour of the straight bourbon for our inaugural review. The nose is a Snickers bar of caramel, milk chocolate, and peanuts with mint accents. The palate leads in with the creamy caramel and instantly bursts into a peppery malted barley quality, plus chocolate covered cherry. The finish is heavy on the oak notes with great roasted nut mellowness. Quite an impressive range and sophisticated depth of notes given that this only aged 3 years and is made 100% from a single grain — Jimmy Red corn, “a rare heirloom varietal that High Wire helped save from extinction.” The 2023 interview is worth reading while you sip. 200 bottles produced. 117.4 proof. A / $120
Lost Lantern Leiper’s Fork Tennessee Whiskey Single Cask – Let’s agree that most would consider that Tennessee Whiskey is basically a type of bourbon, and Lost Lantern embraces this enough to include it in the Summer of Bourbon lineup. This is their first Tennessee whiskey, featuring the tiny Leiper’s Fork Distillery. The nose exhibits white grapes with a peculiar hint of agave and a sweet woodiness akin to applewood and cedar. For this writer, this is the most unusual and unexpected nose I’ve seen in a corn-based whiskey, leaning more heavily towards something akin to single malt finished in fortified white wine casks. The palate is spicy and minty with a bright sweetness of a Sprite mixed with Coca-Cola. The finish is long on oak and dry dark chocolate. Aged 5 years, 123 bottles produced. 115.8 proof. A- / $100
Lost Lantern Rock Town Arkansas Straight Bourbon Single Cask – This is Lost Lantern’s first whiskey from Rock Town and from Arkansas. This is Drinkhacker’s second round with Rock Town, having come across their straight bourbon in 2023. It was a promising debut, and again, not surprising that a single cask showing would exhibit enchanting opening notes on the nose of warm peach cobbler, herbal spices and malty Mars bar sweetness. The palate is laden with cinnamon tingle, toasty grains, and a licorice-forward sweetness. The finish rests on wheat and mint undertones. Great personality, and aged only 4 years at that. 200 bottles produced. 117.6 proof. A- / $90
Lost Lantern Mississippi Memory Rich Grain Distilling Straight Bourbon – This is “Lost Lantern’s first release from a ghost distillery partner: Rich Grain Distilling was founded to create a whiskey that truly reflected Mississippi’s hot, humid climate. Although the distillery closed in 2020, the whiskey continued to age in Mississippi.” It’s not a single cask release but rather a blended offering from the Single Distillery series. This likely one-and-done Lost Lantern release from Rich Grain is a blend of 5- and 7-year-old bourbons, presumably blended by the ghost partner. The nose offers rich dulce de leche cake with sweet tobacco muskiness and barely any burn, despite the whopping 140 proof. The palate explodes with rum-soaked raisin cake and plenty of mint and cinnamon for spice and amazingly little burn. The finish sees subdued oak amongst a coating of dark chocolate. What an unexpected pour. Given the rarity of this release in particular, I would not hesitate to grab it. 500 bottles produced. 140 proof. A / $90
Lost Lantern Corbin Cash California Straight Bourbon Single Cask – Corbin Cash “is best known for its grain-to-glass rye whiskies which reflect the bounty and warmth of California’s Central Valley” (not to mention a sweet potato liqueur), but we’re upping the heat ante with their straight bourbon, which clocks in at 146.2 proof. For this writer, it’s a personal record on proof. The nose shows peanut brittle and basil, and once again I was struck by the lack of burn. On the palate, everything explodes with the spiciness and heat of dark Mexican hot chocolate. Brunt marshmallows and toasted pine nuts carry forward the spicy oak profile, wrapped in deep sweetness and creamy nuttiness. The finish is soft oak with the lingering of all of the spice and sweetness from the nose and palate. Aged 7 years, 200 bottles produced. 146.2 proof. A / $130
Lost Lantern Boulder Spirits Armagnac Finished Colorado Straight Bourbon Single Cask – This is Lost Lantern’s first finished bourbon, which is aged for 4.5 years in new oak and finished for 2.5 more years in Armagnac casks. Boulder Spirits “has brought Scottish whiskymaking traditions to the world of bourbon and the unique climate of the Colorado Rockies” and is known for their “distinctive high-malt mashbill.” Compared to the others in this series, the nose is muted on the traditional bourbon notes of cinnamon and caramel, interestingly showing as the least sweet of the lineup despite the Cognac finish, likely due to the high level of malt in the mashbill. The palate gives away the nod to Scotch with heavy malt and peat, which is a prominent note alongside the caramel and apple cider notes. The finish is earthy with soft oak and grains. It’s hard to pick up on the Cognac finish, but its influence likely brightens up the musky malt with some of the deeper fruit notes evident in the mix. Aged 7 years, 300 bottles produced. 125.5 proof. A- / $120
Lost Lantern Far-Flung Bourbon II – Lost Lantern’s first blended bourbon Far Flung was released (and reviewed) in 2023 and this year’s blend focuses on distilleries in the eastern half of the country: Starlight Distillery (Indiana), Kings County Distillery (New York), Rich Grain Distilling Co. (Mississippi), Smooth Ambler (West Virginia), and Wollersheim Distillery (Wisconsin). The respective terroirs could not be more eclectic, exhibiting some of the most extreme ranges from dry cold to humid heat. The menagerie results in a really deep, sweet, Port-heavy nose, showing roasted prunes and cherries. The palate, as one might say, has “all the feels,” all at once, in equal measures — the syrupy sweetness of molasses with burnt caramel, mint and cinnamon spice, fortified wine, bright wheat, and mellow corn. It could pass for a Cognac-finished bourbon, though it is a bit confusing. As something in a glass while staring at a campfire or sitting on a porch watching the sunset, it’s definitely an enjoyable pour. Just don’t make me guess what I’m drinking. Aged 5 years, 697 bottles produced. 126.6 proof. A- / $100
This is a winning lineup. All expressions are well above average and Lost Lantern has clearly put in the groundwork to source and exhibit excellent introductions to each of these distilleries. Put them all on the watch list.
Lost Lantern Union Horse Kansas Straight Bourbon Single Cask
$90
