Cherry cough medicine | Butterscotch | Wet hay | Charred lemon peel

Vanilla cream | Eucalyptus | Orange peel | Light menthol

Lemon cream | Warm seasoned oak | Blackberry | Gentle rye spice | Light clove

Lost Lantern’s Spring 2026 Collection explores the difference between high proof and low proof whiskeys, showcasing both the intensity of cask strength whiskeys and the balance and approachability of lower proof ones. The collection includes the new Far-Flung Bourbon 100 Proof alongside a stronger cask strength version, plus eight single casks paired by proof from distilleries across the U.S - some of which have never been featured by Lost Lantern before.

Lost Lantern 2026 Single Cask #8 is part of the company’s High-Low Rye Pairing. With a proof of 115.1, it serves as the lower proof bottle of the pairing, with the other, Lost Lantern 2026 Single Cask #7: Broad Branch Distillery North Carolina Rye, coming in at 141.1 proof. The company states that “This rye pairing from the Upland South demonstrates how proof shapes spice, texture, and aromatic complexity.”

New Riff Distilling’s rye whiskey often gets overlooked, with attention geared towards the company’s bourbon. They decided early on that they were going to stick with the classic 95/5 rye mashbill that many major Kentucky (and Indiana) distilleries use. Though in this rye’s case, the company substituted the 5% malted barley for malted rye. It will probably be hard for anyone to taste such a small change in a whiskey’s mashbill, but because of how well-balanced this rye is, you have to suspect it might have had something to do with it.

The aroma is fairly even with equal intensity given to scents of cherry cough medicine, butterscotch, wet hay, and charred lemon peel. The palate and finish continue in a similar manner with gentle notes of vanilla cream, eucalyptus, orange peel, and light menthol. The finish offers lemon cream, warm seasoned oak, blackberry, and light rye spice and clove.

Many ryes, especially higher proof ones, have seemed to be designed to be gut punches. Maximum impact for your buck. This high intensity goes along with what people know and expect from a rye, but it's quickly becoming all they know. New Riff has been toying with their ryes by crafting them with a larger malted element to them. Though this is only 5% malted rye, there’s no overlooking how all-around balanced and even this rye drinks. The whiskey doesn’t feature an exceptionally wide range of flavors, but its gentleness allows you to focus on them better. Lost Lantern 2026 Single Cask #8 is a welcome change of pace in the world of 100+high proof, bombastic ryes that command the market.

Lost Lantern 2026 Single Cask #8 New Riff Distilling Kentucky Rye is a 172 bottle release.