Clove | Peat | Smoke | Burnt sugar | Black pepper | Old leather

Smoke | Brandy-soaked cherries | Plum | Charred oak

Peat | Roasted malt | Dark cherry | Cranberry | Clove

It’s only natural for companies to explore the unexplored and seek out pockets of the market that might provide them a chance to stand out with a unique product. Peated whiskey has been a staple of scotch for generations but has been largely absent in American-made whiskeys. As American single malts come into their own, it is to be expected that peated whiskeys would come along for the ride. Lost Lantern Shadow highlights three American distilleries with peated American single malts and blends them into a new and novel product.

Stating that peated whiskey is an acquired taste is a given at this point, and I don’t expect Lost Lantern Shadow to convert the unconverted. What it does offer those familiar with this type of whiskey, is a new take on an American-style peated single malt. Where scotch is often elegant, well-balanced, and even-tempered, Shadow is big, bold, and robust - even at 100 proof. Cedar Ridge, McCarthy’s, and Boulder Spirits distilleries have been getting increasingly bolder with their whiskeys, and combining them only seems to amplify this. Peat, smoke, and roasted malt are all present, but their flip side contains an array of brandy-soaked cherries, plum, black cherry, and cranberry. They provide a welcome contrast, though they do struggle to fully pop over the smoke and peat. Even fans of peated whiskeys will likely find something new with Shadow thanks to its boldness, which will likely pull them out of their comfort zone in the process.