Introducing the Lost Lantern Summer Collection
We are incredibly excited to announce Lost Lantern’s very first Summer Collection! The Summer 2022 Single Cask Collection is our largest single cask collection to date, featuring seven limited-edition single casks from six celebrated craft distilleries: McCarthy’s in Oregon, Frey Ranch in Nevada, Starlight in Indiana, Dad’s Hat in Pennsylvania, St. George in California, and Balcones in Texas.
The Lost Lantern Summer 2022 Collection emphasizes comparison, showing the full range of the distilleries we work with and what we as an independent bottler add to that conversation. All seven casks in the new collection are meant to be points of comparison: sometimes to each other, sometimes to previous Lost Lantern releases, sometimes to the distillery’s own releases.
The Lost Lantern Summer Collection is available now through LostLanternWhiskey.com, Seelbachs.com, and at select retailers in California and Alberta, Canada. As always, all our single casks are fully transparent on their origin, are bottled at cask strength, are non-chill-filtered, and have natural color. Read on for basic details about each of the casks. We’ll release full details about each one (including mashbills, barrel entry proof, cooperages, and anything else you could possibly want to know!) over the weeks ahead!
The Lost Lantern Summer Collection
2022 Single Cask #5: McCarthy’s 3 Year Old Oregon Peated Single Malt Whiskey
As one of the very first single malts made in the U.S., McCarthy’s helped set a very high standard for American single malt whiskey. This fresh, approachable, yet heavily peated single malt was made in Oregon from U.K. barley malted with Islay peat. It was aged for 3 years and 11 months in a second-fill Oregon oak cask and has notes of leather, oak, iodine, and maple syrup-drizzled vanilla ice cream.
Comparison Cask: 2021 Single Cask #6: McCarthy’s 6 Year Old Oregon Peated Single Malt
2022 Single Cask #6: Frey Ranch Distillery Nevada Three Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Frey Ranch, a fifth-generation family farm in the watershed of the Sierra Nevada, grows all the grain for all of its whiskies, making it one of the only true estate distilleries in the U.S. This 5-year-old straight bourbon is one of the only three-grain whiskies ever to come from Frey Ranch. It has notes of chocolate, clove, spearmint, and balanced oak and is more spice- and fruit-driven than their traditional four-grain style.
Comparison Cask: 2022 Single Cask #3: Frey Ranch Distillery Nevada Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey
2022 Single Cask #7: Starlight Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Located just across the Ohio River from Kentucky and only about 20 miles from Louisville, Starlight Distillery is part of Huber’s Orchard & Winery, an Indiana institution since 1843. This straight bourbon whiskey was aged for 4 years in a 53-gallon barrel and has flavors of lemon zest, cinnamon strudel, nutmeg, and creamy vanilla.
Comparison Cask: 2021 Single Cask #8: Starlight Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey
2022 Single Cask #8: Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey
Pennsylvania’s distilling tradition dates back to the colonial era, but by the 1990s, Pennsylvania rye whiskey had disappeared completely. Dad’s Hat has brought this tradition back to life. This straight rye whiskey, our first whiskey from Pennsylvania, was aged in a 53-gallon barrel for 5 years. It is fresh and grassy, with spearmint on the nose and candied orange, chocolate, and clove on the palate.
Comparison Cask: 2022 Single Cask #9: Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in a Vermouth Cask
2022 Single Cask #9: Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in a Vermouth Cask
This release was made by finishing 4-year-old Dad’s Hat straight rye whiskey for 5 months in an ex-vermouth cask, which amplifies and builds upon the sweeter elements of the underlying rye whiskey. It has apricot and spearmint on the nose, and a rich palate with big baking spice, citrusy sweetness, and fresh green grass. A unique and deeply flavorful twist that shows how the right finish can naturally complement a whiskey. The first-ever vermouth-finished single cask from Dad’s Hat!
Comparison Cask: 2022 Single Cask #8: Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey
2022 Single Cask #10: St. George Spirits California Single Malt Whiskey
Founded in 1982 and located in Alameda, California, St. George is the country’s first craft distillery and is renowned for its commitment to experimentation, innovation, quality and precision, and fresh and flavorful local ingredients. When they released their first single malt whiskey in 2000, they were blazing a new trail. More than twenty years later, they still do. Distilled on a pot still and aged for 3 years and 10 months in a new oak cask, this whiskey is a beautiful intermingling of soft, floral flavors with gentle oak, clove, and nutmeg notes.
Comparison Cask: 2021 Single Cask #5: St. George Spirits California Single Malt Whiskey
2022 Single Cask #11: Balcones Distilling Texas Single Malt Aged in a Tequila Barrel
Balcones is a pioneer, not just in Texas Whiskey but across the board. Their experiments with mashbills, barrel finishes, barrel sizes, and new techniques have helped break new ground in American whiskey. Cask #11 is no exception. It spent 5 years in a used tequila cask that previously held Balcones Rumble, a spirit distilled from honey, sugar, and figs. This style-bending whiskey, born and raised in the Texas heat, marries clean and elegant single malt with unusual flavors rarely seen in whiskey. It has butterscotch, graham crackers, and chili chocolate on the nose. The light, spicy palate has honey, lemon pepper, and even hints of lime. Perfect for summer.
Comparison Cask: 2020 Single Cask #8: Balcones Distilling Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The Lost Lantern Summer Collection will debut on June 8th, and we can’t wait to hear what you all think about it! To make sure you’re among the first to get your hands on these releases, be sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram!