Lost Lantern — United States of Bourbon: First 13 States Cask Strength: Toasted Barrel Character Without the Toasted Barrel Review

Rich oak, roasted sweetness, and outstanding balance headline the most barrel-driven release of the trilogy.

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

→ View the complete United States of Bourbon collection

Stats

Type: Bourbon
Age: 4-8 years
Proof: 121.4 (60.7% ABV)
Mashbill: Not disclosed (variety), min 51% corn
Distillation Style: Not disclosed (variety)
Origin: 13 different distilleries, one for each state
Cask: Unknown
Release: Limited release, blended, cask strength
MSRP: $199.99 (via Lost Lantern)

Tasting Notes

Nose: The aroma is loaded with toasted oak, baking spices, marshmallow, white pine smoke, confectioners sugar, and toasted coconut. It almost gives the illusion of a secondary toasted barrel finish despite remaining a straight bourbon.
Palate: My favorite mouthfeel of the three releases. A lively rye spice carries notes of barbecue char, mixed nuts, and molasses, creating a profile that’s rich without becoming muddled by excessive complexity.
Finish: A long finish showcases white pepper, grilled dark fruits, honey barbecue sweetness, roasted nuts, and lingering barrel influence. The oak remains dominant but remarkably balanced.

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

This limited release blends straight bourbon from the original 13 states, aged 4-8 years, bottled at 121.4 proof, with just 1,776 bottles produced.

It’s the most oak-driven whiskey of the lineup and often drinks considerably older than its stated age.

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 the most unique whiskey of the trilogy from a flavor perspective.

The pronounced barrel influence frequently mimics a double-oaked or toasted bourbon, despite receiving neither treatment (to my knowledge).

_{(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

This is where the bottle struggles most.

$200 is exceptionally difficult to justify for whiskey topping out at 8 years old, even if it drinks closer to ten.

The concept is clever, but the price reinforces many of the stereotypes Lost Lantern usually challenges.

Buy if:

Love oak-forward bourbons.
Enjoy toasted barrel style flavors.
Prefer balanced high-proof pours.
Collect limited historical releases.

Skip if:

Need strong value for your money.
Prefer fruit-forward bourbon.
Avoid heavy barrel influence.
Can’t justify $200 for an 8-year blend.

Verdict

This whiskey surprised me more than any of the three. The profile consistently reminded me of something between an older MGP bourbon finished in toasted oak and a deep south aged bourbon like Dettling, even though that’s not what this is. The roasted sweetness, char, marshmallow, and barbecue notes combine into an experience that’s both distinctive and remarkably cohesive.

Ironically, what ultimately holds it back isn’t the whiskey. It’s the price. At nearly half the cost, this might have been one of my favorite limited releases of the year. Instead, it’s an excellent bourbon carrying one of the steepest premiums in Lost Lantern’s portfolio.

Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:

Outstanding oak-driven craftsmanship held back almost entirely by an ambitious price tag.

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

Nose: 5.4 / 7
Palate: 6.1 / 7
Finish: 5.8 / 7
Presentation: N/A
Distinctiveness: 6 / 7
Transparency: 3.5 / 7
Value: 2 / 7

Bourbon Bishop Rating: 4.78 / 7 – Angelic

Good to great. Often high value for the price.

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.}

Explore the United States of Bourbon Collection Reviews

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.