Lost Lantern — United States of Bourbon (100 Proof): A 50-State Bourbon Experiment Review

A blend of straight bourbon from all 50 states proves that great blending can overcome wildly different components, even if the final whiskey isn’t always seamless.

Explore the United States of Bourbon Collection

The United States of Bourbon project includes three limited releases celebrating American whiskey from coast to coast. I’ve reviewed each bottle below.

Bottle	My Verdict
You’re Reading: United States of Bourbon (100 Proof)	⭐ Ambitious concept with surprising cohesion
United States of Bourbon Cask Strength	🏆 Best Overall
United States of Bourbon: First 13 States	🪵 Best for oak lovers

→ View the complete United States of Bourbon collection

Stats

Type: Bourbon
Age: 2-10 years
Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Mashbill: Not disclosed (variety)
Distillation Style: Not disclosed (variety)
Origin: 50 different distilleries, one for each state
Cask: Unknown
Release: Limited release, blended
MSRP: $79.99 (via Lost Lantern)

Tasting Notes

Nose: There’s a lot happening immediately, opening with brown bread, caramelized brown sugar, apple juice, and a noticeable dose of malted barley. Baking spices of cinnamon and nutmeg mingle with a touch of youthful raw oak, creating an aroma that’s complex but slightly unrefined.
Palate: The palate leans heavily into craft whiskey territory, with malted barley and pot still character arriving before settling into toffee sweetness. A dense, coating mouthfeel carries notes of espresso bean and subtle bitterness that keep the sweetness from becoming overwhelming.
Finish: A wave of clove spice arrives first before transitioning into orange preserves, baking spices, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, cola, and raspberry. The finish lingers a respectable medium length while still revealing some youthful oak underneath.

*_{Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon collection samples lying on eagle}*

Lost Lantern’s United States of Bourbon may be one of the most ambitious bourbon projects ever attempted. The blend combines straight bourbon from all 50 states, ranging from 2-10 years old, bottled at 100 proof, with just 6,780 bottles released.

On paper, it sounds almost impossible. In the glass, it’s both surprisingly familiar and unmistakably craft-driven.

United States of Bourbon at a Glance

50 participating distilleries
50 U.S. states represented
3 limited releases

2–10 years (50 States blends)
4–8 years (First 13 States)
1,776, 3,300, and 6,780 bottles released

Distilleries Featured in the United States of Bourbon Project

The United States of Bourbon series showcases whiskey from independent distilleries across America. Distilleries marked with ★ also contributed to the First 13 States blend. Click a distillery to read my review or distillery visit where available.

Alabama

Dread River Distilling Co.

Alaska

Denali Spirits

Arizona

SanTan Distilling

Arkansas

Rock Town Distillery

California

Corbin Cash Distillery

Colorado

Boulder Spirits

Connecticut ★

Litchfield Distillery

Delaware ★

Painted Stave Distilling

Florida

St. Augustine Distillery

Georgia ★

ASW Fiddler Distillery

Hawaii

Koʻolau Distillery

Idaho

Day’s Defile

Illinois

Whiskey Acres Distilling Co.

Indiana

Starlight Distillery

Iowa

Cedar Ridge Distillery

Kansas

Union Horse Distilling Co.

Kentucky

New Riff Distilling

Louisiana

Distillerie Acadian

Maine

Hardshore Distilling Co.

Maryland ★

Baltimore Spirits Co.

Massachusetts ★

Triple Eight Distillery

Michigan

New Holland Distilling Co.

Minnesota

Far North Spirits

Mississippi

Rich Grain Distilling

Missouri

J. Rieger & Co.

Montana

Montgomery Distillery

Nebraska

Brickway Distillery

Nevada

Frey Ranch Distillery

New Hampshire ★

Cathedral Ledge Distillery

New Jersey ★

Sourland Mountain Spirits

New Mexico

Safe House Distilling

New York ★

Kings County Distillery

North Carolina ★

Broad Branch Distillery

North Dakota

Proof Artisan Distillers

Ohio

Tom’s Foolery Distillery

Oklahoma

Hochatown Distilling

Oregon

Oregon Spirit Distillers

Pennsylvania ★

Liberty Pole Spirits

Rhode Island ★

South County Distillers

South Carolina ★

High Wire Distilling Co.

South Dakota

Blackfork Farms

Tennessee

Leiper’s Fork Distillery

Texas

Balcones Distilling

Utah

High West Distillery

Vermont

Stonecutter Spirits

Virginia ★

Reservoir Distillery

Washington

Woodinville Whiskey Co.

West Virginia

Smooth Ambler Spirits

Wisconsin

Wollersheim Distillery

Wyoming

Backwards Distilling Co.

*This page will be periodically updated when new distillery reviews are added. I’ve reviewed many of these brands but it was done on my instagram account before my website existed.

Distinctiveness

This is certainly one of the most unique concepts in American whiskey, although the flavor profile isn’t quite as unconventional as the premise suggests.

It often drinks like a craft wheated bourbon with additional malt character, shifting between traditional bourbon notes and distinctly craft influences.

_{(Author’s Note: Presentation is not judged when a small sample is provided)}

*_{Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon cask strength sample focus in box}*

“On paper, it sounds almost impossible. In the glass, it’s both surprisingly familiar and unmistakably craft-driven.”

Transparency

Lost Lantern deserves credit for openly sharing every participating distillery.

However, for a release that invites whiskey geeks to obsess over the blend, I’d love to see more specifics on ages, mashbills, and proportions from each contributor.

If you’re going to build the ultimate bourbon puzzle, let us see all the pieces.

*_{Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon collection samples}*

Value

From a purely whiskey standpoint, $80 feels expensive for a blend averaging roughly six years old.

The value instead comes from the once-in-a-lifetime nature of the experiment, because there’s never been another bourbon quite like this.

For me, it’s still a bit expensive… but how do you put a price on something that’s truly one of a kind (or at least, one of a little than 7,000).

Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon 100 Proof sample angled

Buy if:

Love unique whiskey projects that push blending boundaries.
Want to experience all 50 states represented in a single bourbon.
Enjoy craft whiskey character with malt-forward complexity.
Appreciate blending artistry more than age statements.

Skip if:

Prefer classic Kentucky bourbon profiles.
Are sensitive to craft grain or pot still funk.
Prioritize age-to-price value.
Want a perfectly seamless, polished blend.

Verdict

What impressed me most wasn’t that this whiskey tasted revolutionary. It was that it tasted as cohesive as it did. With bourbon ranging from 2 to 10 years old sourced from every state in America, there are countless opportunities for the blend to fall apart. Instead, Nora Ganley-Roper somehow threads those wildly different components into something recognizable as bourbon.

That doesn’t mean it’s flawless. The lower proof seems to accentuate some of the younger craft whiskey characteristics and occasionally makes the blend feel slightly disjointed. Yet with every revisit, I found myself appreciating the balance more. It’s an extraordinary technical achievement that doesn’t always translate into extraordinary value, but it’s undeniably one of the most fascinating bottles released in recent memory.

Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:

A remarkable blending achievement whose historic concept ultimately outshines the whiskey itself.

For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:

Nose: 4 / 7
Palate: 4.25 / 7
Finish: 4.5 / 7
Presentation: N/A
Distinctiveness: 4 / 7
Transparency: 3.5 / 7
Value: 4 / 7

Bourbon Bishop Rating: 4.04 / 7 – Bliss

Passable to Good sipper. Works well in cocktails.

Score	Descriptor	Notes
0–1	Hell No	Drain pour. Seriously undrinkable.
1.1–2	Purgatory	Bad, but could be worse. Only in extreme cases.
2.1–3	Only Earthly	Just okay. Best used as a mixer.
3.1–4	Bliss	Passable to Good sipper. Works well in cocktails.
4.1–5	Angelic	Good to great. Often high value for the price.
5.1–6	Divine	Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style.
6.1–7	Holy Heaven	Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn.

_{Disclosure: This bottle was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.}

About Lost Lantern

Lost Lantern was founded by Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, two longtime whiskey professionals who set out to build an American version of the independent bottler. Before launching the company, the pair spent eight months traveling across the United States, visiting more than 100 distilleries to better understand how regional climate, production methods, and local traditions shape American whiskey. Today, they continue to work only with distilleries they’ve visited in person.

Rather than producing whiskey themselves, Lost Lantern specializes in hand-selecting barrels from independent distilleries and releasing them with exceptional transparency. Their bottles proudly identify where the whiskey was distilled, are presented non-chill filtered, with natural color, and often at cask strength. Their mission, “Shining a Light on the Independent Spirit”, is about introducing whiskey lovers to outstanding distilleries that deserve a wider audience while demonstrating just how diverse American whiskey has become.