This Unprecedented New Whiskey Blends Bourbon from All 50 States

I promise, you’ve never tasted anything like this before.

Hand pouring amber bourbon from a Lost Lantern bottle into a branded glass on a wooden surface.

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Blending barrels from different distilleries is common practice in the Scotch world but doesn’t happen much, if rarely at all, in American whiskey making.

Based in Vermont, Lost Lantern Whiskey is the perfect brand to take on such a challenge. The independent bottler was founded by self-proclaimed “whiskey nerds” who partner with various distilleries across the country to curate, source and bottle their favorites.

But with its latest project, Lost Lantern has gone where no brand has gone before.

Wooden barrel with blue text pouring liquid into a metal container in a warehouse. — After years in the making, Lost Lantern has successfully curated, sourced and bottled a blend of 50 bourbons from every state.

The United States of Bourbon

It seems too outrageous to be true but Lost Lantern has actually combined straight bourbons from all 50 states to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. As such, the United States of Bourbon comes off as an experimental release that’ll pique your interest more than most.

Man in an olive green shirt tasting bourbon in a glass in front of stacked wooden barrels labeled "Black Fork Farms. — The blend features liquid from cult-favorite distilleries as well as more obscure names from across the country. Blackfork Farms (above) hails from South Dakota.

Whiskey glass with amber liquid labeled "Denali Spirits" on a wooden barrel top. — Alaska’s Denali Spirits is also included in the mix. A full list on Lost Lantern’s website names all 50 distilleries featured, with a full mashbill breakdown coming soon.

Developed, obviously, over the course of the past few years, the project took co-founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski all over the US, where they visited and sampled bourbons from literally every state. From Delaware to Hawaii, representative whiskey casks were hand-picked to join this highly ambitious release.

Amber bourbon whiskey bottle with red and cream label reading "United States Bourbon Cask Strength. — A 122.9-proof Cask Strength version debuts alongside the 100 Proof and 1776 Edition.

It helps that bourbon is now being made in all 50 states, despite Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee being the focal points of the industry. The entire list of the liquids used for United States of Bourbon is available on Lost Lantern’s site, but some highlights include High West (Utah), Kings County (New York), Frey Ranch (Nevada), Balcones (Texas) and New Riff (Kentucky).

There are some more obscure distilleries in the blend as well, like Minnesota’s Far North Spirits or New Hampshire’s Cathedral Ledge Distiller. The age of all the whiskeys used range from two and 10 years.

The exact barrel breakdown hasn’t been posted yet but Lost Lantern promises that full details will be revealed soon.

Amber bourbon bottle with blue and cream label reading "Lost Lantern United States Bourbon 100 Proof" and "Blend of straight bourbon whiskies from all 50 states. — The main expression is this 100-proof whiskey featuring liquid aged between two and 10 years.

What’s in the bottles?

Bottled at 100 proof, the main expression in the series boasts warm vanilla, spice, clove and nutmeg on the nose, leading to a palate of “dark chocolate, raspberry, and orange zest.” It yields 6,780 bottles.

There’s also a Cask Strength version at a hot 122.9 proof. You’ll see oak, spice and fruit components amplified a bit with the bolder profile. Only 3,300 bottles were made in this initial batch.

Amber bourbon whiskey bottle with black and gold label reading "United States Bourbon 1776 Special Edition 250th Anniversary — The limited 1776 Edition features only bourbons from the 13 original colonies. The minimum age statement here is four years.

Lastly, a limited 1776 Edition includes only the bourbons from the original 13 colonies. Bottled at 122.4 proof, the dram also has an older age statement with whiskeys ranging from four to eight years. Unlike with the full-50-state blend, you can see the full mashbill breakdown on the product page.

On the palate, there’s “fruit and spice, with hints of fresh-baked bread and notes of leather leading into a very long, spicy finish.” Naturally, only 1,176 bottles are being released.

Availability and pricing

The United States of Bourbon is available now from Lost Lantern’s website. The 100 Proof will set you back $80, while the Cask Strength has a $100 price tag.

At the top end, the 1776 Edition will have a suggested retail price of $200.

Two bottles of Lost Lantern bourbon whiskey, one with a red label marked "Cask Strength" and the other with a blue label marked "100 Proof.

Lost Lantern The United States of Bourbon

Starts at $80

About the Author: Ethan Brehm is an associate editor at Gear Patrol writing about footwear, watches, spirits, EDC and more. When he’s not shopping for his next G-Shock, he spends his time watching movies and planning a future road trip with his family. He firmly believes CDs sound better than vinyl.

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