Tobacco leaf | Pure molasses | Burnt caramel | Sweet oak

Vanilla bean | Roasted coffee bean | Baking spices | Dark chocolate | Oak

Dry | Toasted walnuts | Clove | Dry oak | Black pepper | Soy sauce

Blending bourbons from different distilleries isn’t new, but making a point to name names and shine a spotlight on the curation process continues to be unique, and Lost Lantern is leading this movement. The difference between what Barrell Bourbon does and what Lost Lantern (and a few others) are doing is purposely vetting distilleries that are known for their own distillate, who usually don’t sell their distillate to others for blending with full disclosure of their inclusion in the final blend, and making a big deal about blending these unlikely bourbons together.

Lost Lantern is back again with a new Far-Flung Bourbon and a completely new cast of blend component characters. This time out, Lost Lantern brings together Starlight Distillery, Kings County Distillery, Rich Grain Distilling, Smooth Ambler, and Wollersheim Distillery. Anyone who is familiar with even just two of those distilleries’ bourbons should have their interest piqued.

Far-Flung Bourbon II opens big with robust scents of tobacco leaf, pure molasses, burnt caramel, and layers upon layers of rich sweet oak. The palate starts off strong with potent hits of vanilla bean and roasted coffee bean and then transitions to heavy baking spices and dark chocolate. The finish begins and ends on a dry note, bringing in toasted walnuts, clove, dry oak, black pepper, and soy sauce.

As you’d expect, this blend is big and bold, with some components blending well with each other and others fighting for attention. This takes place as the sip progresses, with the nose spot on, the palate in a nice middle place, and the finish ending in a much more haphazard place. This should be expected as each one of these included bourbons is big in its own right. Combining five big bourbons and expecting to tame them reminds me of John Hammond thinking he could control a Tyrannosaurus Rex in Jurassic Park. So yes, Far-Flung Bourbon II is the Tyrannosaurus Rex of bourbon in a way. It’s big, loud, hot, dry, and dangerously tyrannical, but there is nothing else like it.

Lost Lantern Blend Series: Far-Flung Bourbon II is a 697 bottle release.