Beeswax | Honey | Crème brûlée | Floral undertone

Rich honeycomb | Graham cracker | Brown sugar | French toast | Caramel | Thick mouthfeel

Baking spices | Light toasted oak | Vanilla custard | Lingering sweetness

Lost Lantern has released a number of Starlight Distillery casks, however, this is the first one that has been finished. It started with a blend of two bourbon mashbills aged for 4 years, which was then finished in a barrel that held barrel-aged honey from Starlight’s farm in Starlight, Indiana. The release is non-chill filtered and bottled at cask strength.

This is a honey cask finished bourbon that leans heavily into its finish. It’s the first honey finished bourbon I’ve had that brings out a noticeably honeycomb flavor, which makes it honey-forward and natural tasting in its delivery. This starts on the nose, which has an unusual but pleasantly fresh beeswax aroma that’s complemented by honey and crème brûlée and has a floral undertone. Rich honeycomb on the palate is followed by graham cracker, brown sugar, French toast, and caramel, all of which are delivered with a thick mouthfeel. Baking spices, light toasted oak, and vanilla custard on the finish are followed by a lingering sweetness.

Arguably a bit one dimensional, this whiskey is for fans of sweet, honey finished bourbons. It leans heavily into this finishing style and has a rich, natural essence to it. It’s an ideal flavor profile for fans of this style, but if you prefer less honey influence, you will want to avoid this particular release.

Lost Lantern Single Cask #3 is a 265 bottle release.