Overview: As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, a new wave of whiskeys has emerged to mark this historic occasion. From small-batch releases from long-standing brands to bespoke expressions created by independent distilleries, the diversity of American whiskey is being showcased in a way not seen before.
The Full Story
One such release is Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon Cask Strength, an 8-year-old blend distilled from bourbon from every state. Co-founders Adam Polonski and Nora Ganley-Roper spent over five years assembling the project, traveling across the country to personally vet each whiskey before blending them into three expressions. The result is a cask-strength release ($99.99) that shares its 50-state blend with a 100 Proof version for $79.99.
The bourbon’s nose opens dense and buttery, with notes of caramel, fudge, waffle cone, cornbread, brûléed brown sugar and oatmeal raisin cookies. On the palate it coats the tongue and drinks hot, layering creamy caramel over a grainy character that splits the difference between rye and wheat.
Other notable releases include Bulleit 20-Year-Old Rye, bottled at cask strength from Nicole Austin’s blend of signature 95% rye mashbill. This limited edition bottling is capped at 1,776 bottles — a nod to the anniversary. The rye pushes its signature mash bill through two decades of aging and showcases the complexity that Bulleit has become synonymous with.
Bellefontaine’s Rittenhouse 10-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon: This release marks a return for the brand after several years out of production, aged nine to ten years in American white oak. Bottled at 100 proof it maintains Knob Creek’s signature profile while featuring its iconic blue wax seal.
Another standout is Peg Leg Porker Spirit of America – A bourbon that carries the Bottled-in-Bond designation and pays homage to founder Carey Bringle, who lost a leg to osteogenic sarcoma. The nose offers cranberry, mint and ethanol before transitioning into smoked wood, barbecue smoke lead with blueberry.
The Rye whiskey released by Blue Run is built around its High Rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon – Bottled at 111 proof it showcases praline orange peel stone fruit running through the nose and palate. This release is notable for its commemorative packaging featuring a navy Viceroy butterfly in white star accents on red-and-white-striped tax strips.
Old Overholt’s contribution stays close to its roots – A four-year, 86-proof bottling with historically styled patriotic labels tied to the brand’s long-standing presence since 1810. At $20 it’s also the cheapest bottle here and comes in tight distribution due to limited supply.
Production & Profile
The Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon Cask Strength was aged for eight years in a blend of American oak barrels, contributing to its complex profile that rewards picking apart flavor by flavor. The bourbon is bottled at 100 Proof and features a label with every contributing distillery.
Brand & Industry History
The US whiskey industry has experienced periods of growth and contraction over the years but this anniversary serves as an ideal opportunity for American brands to celebrate their heritage. In recent decades, there’s been significant advancements in production techniques, ingredients sourcing options, and distribution channels.
What This Means
This year marks a turning point for America’s whiskey industry as it pushes towards greater accessibility while also acknowledging the unique value of limited-edition expressions that make up such an important part of its history. With so many releases available this anniversary season, consumers are faced with a wealth of choice.
Consumer Takeaway
This year America’s whiskey community is taking center stage as it celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration in Philadelphia. For anyone looking to get involved or simply wanting to understand more about whiskeys available this anniversary season, there’s never been a better time.
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