Scotch whisky has had independent bottlers since the 1800s — companies that buy casks from various distilleries and bottle them under their own name, often aging them in their own warehouses as well. Gordon & MacPhail, Duncan Taylor, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and many others are almost as well known as the most famous distilleries, without necessarily distilling anything they bottle.

In the U.S., there are also plenty of what are known as “non-distiller producers.” Unlike the Scots, however, the Americans have tried to cover it up — making up backstories, deflecting, obfuscating, and basically doing whatever they can to distract us from the fact that their “craft” whiskey was in fact distilled at enormous facilities like MGP (now known as Ross & Squibb) in Indiana. Perhaps the most egregious offender was Templeton Rye, which in the early 2010s concocted the tall tale that their whiskey was made in Iowa from a special recipe that dated back to Prohibition, and was beloved by none other than Al Capone. In fact, it was distilled in Indiana, using one of MGP’s stock mashbills employed by a bunch of other brands.

Fortunately, sourcing whiskey from outside distilleries is no longer the scandal it once was, since the industrial-sized places in Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky generally do it very well. It’s become a point of pride for brands like Proof & Wood and Smooth Ambler to mention exactly what they’re sourcing, and from where. And that’s a good thing. But Lost Lantern, launched in 2020 by a former manager at New York’s Astor Wine & Spirits and a senior whisky specialist at Whisky Advocate magazine, is one of the only American indies to do things the way the Scots do it, buying casks directly from distilleries and highlighting those distilleries on the bottles.

486 bottles, 5 distilleries, 1 region — the American Midwest — and 1 terrific whiskey.

Lost Lantern prefers to collaborate with smaller independent distilleries across the country rather than larger conglomerates. They establish direct connections with the distillers, who frequently are also the founders during this early phase of American craft distilling. They work together to formulate unique expressions and blends besides purchasing casks.

In its most recent series, Lost Lantern ventures into some of the Midwest’s prime indie distilleries, launching several single-cask bourbons, ryes, and wheat whiskeys. These are from some of the leading names in the area, such as FEW Spirits in Illinois and Cedar Ridge in Iowa. Lesser-known yet outstanding distilleries include Wollersheim in Wisconsin and Middle West Spirits in Ohio. They also created a blended whiskey called Far Flung Rye. Although all are noteworthy, Far Flung Rye is more accessible due to greater availability.

Far Flung Rye is a blend of rye whiskeys aged 4-9 years and sourced from five Midwestern distilleries: Cedar Ridge; Middle West Spirits; Wollersheim; Indiana’s Starlight Distillery; and Tom’s Foolery in Ohio. At a significant 60.8% ABV, it is a full-bodied, flavorful blend with splashes of dark chocolate and malt, a hint of grass, and reminders of rye bread. It packs a punch but can be mellowed with some water, retaining its robust flavor. Given its limited availability and relatively high pricing, it might not be ideal for cocktails, but it lends itself beautifully to a lush Black Manhattan.

Far Flung Rye serves as a fitting introduction to the often-unnoticed Midwestern spirits sector, and any rye whiskey aficionado would appreciate it. If you don’t locate it at your local liquor store, you can check out Lost Lantern’s website for availability.