Independent bottler Lost Lantern has announced its first annual Winter Whiskey Wednesday drop and the launch of its Winter 2021 collection of single cask American whiskies.

Lost Lantern’s annual Winter Whiskey Wednesday drop will see the independent bottler launch a new release on the first Wednesday of every December, beginning with the Winter 2021 collection which will feature one single malt, one bourbon, and one rye, each bottled non-chill filtered, of natural color, and at cask strength.

Winter 2021 Single Cask #6: McCarthy’s 6 Year Old Oregon Peated Single Malt
Limited to 248 bottles at 55.6% ABV (111.2 proof)
Suggested Retail Price: $140.

McCarthy’s is arguably the first American single malt, and this single cask, aged for six years, is one of the oldest McCarthy’s whiskies ever released. Made from U.K. barley malted with Islay peat, it was fermented, distilled, and aged in Oregon. Single Cask #6 was aged in a 228-liter 3rd-fill Oregon oak cask with a medium toast and medium char. This whiskey’s deep smokiness, savory notes of smoked meats and leather, and balance of oak and French vanilla will enthrall lovers of peated single malt.

Winter 2021 Single Cask #7: Smooth Ambler West Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Limited to 195 bottles at 62.1% ABV (124.2 proof)
Suggested Retail Price: $80.

Smooth Ambler has long been on the vanguard of sourcing and blending whiskey with transparency and integrity. They’ve also been distilling and aging their own whiskey all along as they forge a new whiskey tradition in West Virginia. This is Lost Lantern’s first wheated bourbon selection, distilled on Smooth Ambler’s own column still in West Virginia. It was aged in a 53-gallon barrel for 5 years. The nose has notes of dried ginger, clove, and rosehips, while the palate bursts with dark chocolate, candied walnut, and robust oak flavors.

Winter 2021 Single Cask #8: Starlight Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey
Limited to 211 bottles at 55.6% ABV (113.2 proof)
Suggested Retail Price: $70.

Starlight Distillery is part of Huber’s Orchard & Winery, an Indiana institution since 1843. While Starlight is just across the Ohio River from Kentucky and about 20 miles from Louisville, the climate, conditions, and culture are quite distinct from their counterparts to the south. This straight rye whiskey was aged for 4 years in a 53-gallon barrel. Made with 85% locally grown rye and 15% malted barley, it has a robust rye spice, with notes of cardamom, molasses, burnt caramel, and lemon zest. This is Indiana whiskey at its finest.

The Lost Lantern Winter 2021 collection will be available for purchase at seelbachs.com beginning Wednesday, December 1st and at lostlanternwhiskey.com at a later date.

Photo credit: Lost Lantern Whiskey.
Source: Lost Lantern Whiskey.