Lost Lantern Single Cask Series: Finger Lakes Distilling Pommeau Cask Finished, 45.9%

Pommeau is an aperitif native to northwestern France that’s made by blending apple juice with apple brandy. The influence of that finishing cask on this New York rye is clear; the nose has all sorts of cinnamon, from Red Hots to Big Red gum to cinnamon stick, as well as cinnamon applesauce sweetness. On the palate, which is quite rich, what else but more cinnamon, though it’s accented beautifully by soft wood spice and strawberry. Some char on the finish gives the dram a nice edge and helps break up all that cinnamon.