Lost Lantern Launches First Dedicated Regional Collection, Starting With The Mid-West

American negociant Lost Lantern has traditionally curated and released its collections around specific themes, but the Spring 2024 collection marks the independent bottler’s inaugural regional collection. With a focus on the Midwest, Lost Lantern aims to spotlight a whiskey region it believes deserves more attention.

If you’re not yet talking about whiskey from the Midwest, Lost Lantern plans to change that. “The Midwest is one of the most exciting and dynamic whiskey regions in the United States, yet it’s one that whiskey drinkers often overlook,” says Lost Lantern Co-Founder Nora Ganley-Roper. “Other regions like the Pacific Northwest and Texas may have a higher profile, but distilleries across the Midwest are making truly wonderful, world-class whiskies. This is especially true for bourbon and rye, and we’ve found that many of the best whiskies of the Midwest exhibit a complex yet soft and creamy character. Lost Lantern’s Midwest Collection is designed to showcase some of these whiskies and help whiskey lovers explore a region that has truly come into its own.”

Lost Lantern’s new Spring Collection celebrates these regional attributes. The release features seven distinct bottlings, each highlighting what makes whiskey from the Midwest so compelling: Far-Flung Rye (a multi-distillery blend of rye whiskies from across the Midwest) and six single casks from distilleries across the region. The Collection features the return of three previous Lost Lantern partners—Starlight Distillery (IN), Cedar Ridge (IA), and Tom’s Foolery (OH), as well as three new distillery partners: Wollersheim Distillery (WI), FEW Spirits (IL), and Middle West Spirits (OH). This release includes Lost Lantern’s first-ever whiskies from Wisconsin and Illinois, as well as its first multi-state rye blend.

The Midwest collection will be available for purchase at the new Lost Lantern Tasting Room in Vergennes, VT, and online at LostLanternWhiskey.com and Seelbachs.com beginning March 27th. It will also be available at select retailers in New York and California. As always, the new collection is presented at cask strength, non-chill-filtered, and with no color added. In addition, Lost Lantern is launching an educational series focused on Midwestern whiskies through its website, which will highlight other great Midwestern distilleries beyond the Collection and will include guest posts from distillers across the region.

Far-Flung Rye: 121.6 Proof (486 bottles) SRP, $100

Lost Lantern’s first blend of straight rye whiskey proves that some of the country’s best rye whiskey comes from the Midwest. This special release brings together a blend of straight ryes, ranging from four to nine years old, from five of the finest distilleries in the region: Cedar Ridge (IA), Middle West Spirits (OH), Starlight Distillery (IN), Tom’s Foolery Distillery (OH), and Wollersheim Distillery (WI). It has bright rye spice and fresh-cut grass on the nose. The palate is spicy, with rich oak and hints of dark chocolate and warm bread. Age: 4 years

Starlight Distillery Indiana Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 118.7 Proof (132 bottles) SRP, $90

Starlight Distillery is part of Huber’s Orchard & Winery, an Indiana institution since 1843. Ted Huber started Starlight in 2001 to capture the flavors of Indiana grain and fruit from the place his family has farmed for seven generations. This straight bourbon whiskey was aged in a 53-gallon barrel for 6 years, including two years in Vermont. It was made with 60% corn, 20% malted barley, 10% rye, and 10% wheat. It has a rich and creamy nose, with notes of cherry, nutmeg, fresh oak, and chocolate on the palate. Very spicy and full, with a long finish. Age: 6 years

Wollersheim Distillery Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 131.2 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $90

Established in the 19th century, Wollersheim is a family-owned winery and distillery. Its grain-to-glass whiskies truly reflect Wisconsin’s climate and agricultural heritage. This 5-year-old straight bourbon whiskey was made from 66% corn, 22% rye, and 12% malted barley, all locally grown. An intense and powerful cool-climate northern bourbon with notes of leather, chocolate oranges, and pipe tobacco on the nose, and hints of chocolate mousse, dry grain, and spice-blackened meat on the palate. Age: 5 years

FEW Spirits Illinois Straight Bourbon Single Cask: 124.6 Proof (200 bottles) SRP, $90

A pioneer of American craft spirits, FEW has distilled award-winning grain-to-glass whiskies since 2011 in a unique urban setting outside Chicago. This straight bourbon whiskey, Lost Lantern’s first from FEW Spirits and Illinois, was distilled from 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley and aged for 5 years in a 53-gallon new American oak barrel. It has warm, sweet notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and French vanilla on the nose. The palate has a rich and rounded spice, a soft, creamy texture, and notes of milk chocolate and cinnamon rolls. The finish is long and warming. Age: 5 years

Tom’s Foolery 9-Year-Old Ohio Straight Rye Single Cask: 116.5 Proof (170 bottles) SRP, $120

This family-owned distillery uses traditional, labor-intensive methods to make whiskey, including wooden fermenters and pot still distillation. Their whiskies embody the cold, snowy climate of Ohio’s snowbelt. Aged for 9 years in a 53-gallon barrel, making it the oldest whiskey Lost Lantern has released, this straight rye whiskey was made from 70% winter rye and 30% malted rye. It is fresh and elegant, with hints of fresh-cut grass and lemon on the nose and rich rye spice, lemon custard, and balanced oak on the palate. It has an extremely long, warm finish. Age: 9 years

Middle West Ohio Straight Rye Single Cask: 126 Proof (197 bottles) SRP, $90

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Middle West Spirits is one of the Midwest’s largest and most ambitious independent distilleries. This four-grain straight rye whiskey is made with dark pumpernickel rye grain, giving it a full, toasty, chocolatey, and earthy flavor. It was aged for 4 years in a 53-gallon new oak barrel from Speyside Cooperage. It has notes of rich chocolate mousse and warm rye spice on the nose, with cocoa nibs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and leatherbound books on the palate. It is Lost Lantern’s first release from Middle West. Age: 4 years

Cedar Ridge Iowa Straight Wheat Single Cask: 123.1 Proof (203 bottles) SRP, $90

Cedar Ridge has been farming and distilling spirits in Swisher, Iowa, owned by the Quint family, for decades. The area’s dramatic seasonal temperature swings help create whiskies with a soft, clean, yet spicy character. An exceptional cask, this is an elegant and powerful wheat whiskey made from 100% malted white winter wheat that was aged for 6 years in a 53-gallon barrel. It has a very spicy nose, with notes of black cherry and vanilla shortbread on the nose. The palate is bold and warm, with hints of baking spice and cinnamon coffee cake. Age: 6 years