Lost Lantern Debuts Trio of Bourbons, Two Made with Whiskey from All 50 States

The independent bottler Lost Lantern has launched a blend of straight bourbons sourced from all 50 states. Called the “United States of Bourbon,” the project is a first-of-its-kind undertaking, showcasing the breadth of diversity that underscores modern American whiskey.

As part of the development of Lost Lantern, co-founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski embarked on a cross-country journey to visit American distilleries; it was on this trip that the pair first met the whiskey makers who would ultimately contribute to this United States of Bourbon blend. It includes whiskeys aged by the sea, those made from estate-grown grains, some from brand-new distilleries, and others from some of the oldest craft outfits in the country (we’ve outlined all the distilleries below). The inaugural release includes a trio of whiskeys: United States of Bourbon 100 Proof, Cask Strength, and 1776 Edition.

Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon 100 Proof

ABV: 50%
SRP: $80
Availability: 6,780 bottles

The 100 Proof bourbon blends 50 whiskeys from 2 to 10 years old. Lost Lantern refers to this as the more approachable flavor profile within the trio, with notes of vanilla, wood spice, clove, chocolate, raspberry, and orange zest at the fore. For both this whiskey and its cask strength counterpart (see below), Iowa’s Cedar Ridge contributed the most whiskey to the blend at 14.4%; beyond that, Ganley-Roper and Polonski say the percentages vary based on how much whiskey was available to them. “It was important to us that this whiskey was truly a broad representation, without any one component dominating,” the duo explain. Whiskeys with a sense of place were also key to the blend, with a goal of giving “a birds-eye view of bourbon right now.” Given that most of Lost Lantern’s whiskeys are released at cask strength, it was important for Ganley-Roper and Polonski to offer something a bit more accessible for the everyday drinker, hence the 100 Proof bottling (which Ganley-Roper calls a sweet spot for most whiskey drinkers).

Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon Cask Strength

ABV: 61.45%
SRP: $100
Availability: 3,300 bottles

This cask strength iteration of the 50-state blend features the same whiskeys at a higher proof. As such, the flavors are more intense—Lost Lantern calls out rich wood spice, vanilla, oak, black raspberry, dark chocolate, and leather. Once the blend was complete, the cask strength version was bottled, with the remaining whiskey slow-proofed down over the course of weeks until it reached 100 proof. Four barrels of Cask Strength were held back for use in future batches. That said, every batch will be slightly different, and the proportions may differ greatly from release to release.

Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon 1776 Edition

ABV: 60.7%
SRP: $200
Availability: 1,776 bottles

Crafted with the upcoming Semiquincentennial in mind, the 1776 Edition is a blend of straight bourbons sourced from the nation’s original 13 states (NH, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, NC, SC, and GA). Bottled at cask strength, the release is a one-off—unlike the other two, which will appear annually—and limited to just 1,776 bottles, in another nod to the country’s founding year. The whiskeys in the blend are aged from 4 to 8 years.

The three United States of Bourbon whiskeys are available at lostlantern.com and seelbachs.com; at retailers across CA, IL, MA, NH, N, RI, VT, and VA; and at the Lost Lantern tasting room in Vergennes, Vermont.

The participating distilleries are as follows (* indicates distilleries that contributed to the 1776 Edition):

Painted Stave Distilling (DE)*, Liberty Pole Spirits (PA)*, Sourland Mountain Spirits (NJ)*, ASW Fiddler Distillery (GA)*, Litchfield Distillery (CT)*, Triple Eight Distillery (MA)*, Baltimore Spirits Co. (MD)*, High Wire Distilling Co. (SC)*, Cathedral Ledge Distillery (NH)*, Reservoir Distillery (VA)*, Kings County Distillery (NY)*, Broad Branch Distillery (NC)*, South County Distillers (RI)*, Stonecutter Spirits (VT), New Riff Distilling (KY), Leiper’s Fork Distillery (TN), Tom’s Foolery Distillery (OH), Distillerie Acadian (LA), Starlight Distillery (IN), Rich Grain Distilling (MS), Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. (IL), Dread River Distilling Co. (AL), Hardshore Distilling Co. (ME), J. Rieger & Co. (MO), Rock Town Distillery (AR), New Holland Distilling Co. (MI), St. Augustine Distillery (FL), Balcones Distilling (TX), Cedar Ridge Distillery (IA), Wollersheim Distillery (WI), Corbin Cash Distillery (CA), Far North Spirits (MN), Oregon Spirit Distillers (OR), Union Horse Distilling Co. (KS), Smooth Ambler Spirits (WV), Frey Ranch Distillery (NV), Brickway Distillery (NE), Boulder Spirits (CO), Proof Artisan Distillers (ND), Blackfork Farms (SD), Montgomery Distillery (MT), Woodinville Whiskey Co. (WA), Day’s Defile (ID), Backwards Distilling Co. (WY), High West Distillery (UT), Hochatown Distilling (OK), Safe House Distilling (NM), SanTan Distilling (AZ), Denali Spirits(AK), and Ko‘olau Distillery (HI)