This is Part Two of my Lost Lantern Midwest Collection Roundup – Click here for Part One!

In Part 2 I am reviewing Lost Lantern handpicked selections from FEW Spirits, Starlight Distillery, Tom’s Foolery, and Cedar Ridge. Enjoy!

FEW Spirits Illinois Straight Bourbon Single Cask

124.6 Proof. Aged 5 years. Mashbill of 70% corn, 20% rye, & 10 % barley. Matured in New American Oak, Char 3, The Barrel Mill. SRP $90.

Aesthetic: 

The orange blaze of a sunset during a wildfire.

Nose:

Heavy but fresh spice, reminding me of arugula, nicely paired with peach and, faintly, maple syrup.

Palate:

The whiskey coats the palate in a surprising evenness, with only a hint of heat that is evenly distributed. Fruity and creamy, this very sippable whiskey could possibly get lost in a cocktail. I get notes of orange, dark chocolate, and honeysuckle. I recommend drinking neat, not even with a drop of water or ice, this is a very smooth whiskey with complexity that could easily be overlooked or overpowered.

** I have reviewed FEW Spirits in the past and continue to find the whiskey one of the most enjoyable of any I’ve tasted. I highly recommend trying any expression from this talented team.

Rating: 🥃🥃🥃🥃.5/5

Starlight Distillery Indiana Straight Bourbon Single Cask

118 Proof. Aged 6 years. Mashbill of 60% corn, 20% malted barley, 10% rye, and 10% wheat. Matured in New American Oak, Canton Cooperage, Char 3. SRP $90.

Aesthetic:

Tiger orange with medium viscosity.

Nose:

I savor the initial aroma of vanilla wafer and allspice, followed up after the air hits with raisin and springtime rose, with a slight bitterness that I can’t exactly place but does hint vegetal.

Palate:

A creamy mouthfeel, this whiskey gives roasted almond and pink peppercorn, before unfolding into more classic flavors of caramel and vanilla, alongside a delicious, candied ginger spicy sweetness.

Rating: 🥃🥃🥃🥃/5

Tom’s Foolery 9-Year-Old Ohio Straight Rye Single Cask

116.5 Proof. Aged 9 years in 53-gallon barrel. Mashbill of 70% winter rye and 30% malted rye. Matured in New American Oak Char 4 Coopers Select, ISC. SRP $120.

Aesthetic:

A copper color not so deeply concentrated but lingering on the darker copper side.

Nose:

Like walking into the Great British Bake-Off tent, the whiskey exudes aromas of marzipan, freshly scraped vanilla bean, and apricot.

Palate:

Quickly coating the mouth, the whiskey has an abundance of flavors. Immediately I identified tarragon and clove, alongside sucanat and lemon zest, the whiskey finishes with fenty notes of tobacco and honey.  

Rating: 🥃🥃🥃.5/5

Cedar Ridge Iowa Straight Wheat Single Cask

123.1 Proof. Aged 6 Years in New American Oak, ISC, Char 3. Mashbill of 100% malted white winter wheat. SRP $90.

Aesthetic:

Mellow orange-yellow.

Nose:

A noticeably elegant nose, I could make out lemon and almond, sweetness like a cookie, with darker spice similar to a cinnamon stick.

Palate:

Zesty, citrusy, and bright, the whiskey has an astringent mouthfeel that comes on quick and passes without much fanfare. Dark roast coffee bean bitterness comes out mid-palate, and is warming on the back of the palate, but overall offers little complexity and is quickly forgotten.

Rating: 🥃🥃🥃/5

**This whiskey was provided as a review sample by those who created and released it. My reviews are my own, and I tell it how I taste it.**