Review: Lost Lantern Far-Flung Bourbon III

Independent bottler Lost Lantern is back with its third iteration of Far-Flung Bourbon, a blend of straight bourbons from six smaller producers across the United States:

Frey Ranch (Nevada)
Wollersheim (Wisconsin)
Rock Town (Arkansas)
Rich Grain (Mississippi)
Still Austin (Texas)
Smooth Ambler (West Virginia)

As Lost Lantern’s marketed flagship bourbon, the blend is intended to be “a seamless expression of American whiskey.” That’s certainly a tall (and self-imposed) order for founders and blenders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polinski. To produce Far-Flung Bourbon III, these six distinct distillates were married before bottling at a cask strength 124.8 proof. This particular batch carries a four year age statement, with a total release size of 699 bottles.

Let’s see how it tastes!

Lost Lantern Far-Flung Bourbon III Review

Bold and heavily spiced on the nose, this latest Far-Flung Bourbon punches out of the gate with star anise, campfire smoke, charcoal, burning leaves, melted dark chocolate, and young oak. The oak and chocolate especially benefit from five minutes (or longer) in the glass, and those two scents truly elevate things beyond more two-dimensional smokey/charcoal notes. Heavily charred peaches round out scents with a touch of fruit.

The first sips deliver characteristic craft notes of heavy ethanol and (for better or worse) young and wet wood. Fortunately, flavors broaden and soften on a return. Key lime pie, toasted meringue, maple glaze, and sweetened sarsaparilla add both fruity and rustic elements. It’s tough to pin down specific components — that’s part of the point, I’m sure — which creates an experience that can feel at once intriguing and enigmatic. Eventually, the midpalate settles into aspen and birch bark, alongside a hefty dose of blackstrap molasses.

The finish quickly transitions to rustic apple butter and dark cherry syrup, alongside clove oil, mocha, and lingering burnt oak.

While dilution doesn’t completely transform the nose, it throttles those early, green oak notes on the palate, allowing the fruit and herbal bark to stand much taller. It’s an assertive pour that rewards patience, both in the glass and with a dropper. Enjoy accordingly.

124.8 proof.

B+ / $100

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