Lost Lantern, the Vermont-based independent bottler of American whiskey, is looking back on 2025 as a year of growth for the company. Lost Lantern secured $1 million in seed funding led by FreshTracks Capital. The investment will support expanded sales and marketing initiatives ahead of a major release planned for 2026.
The funding enabled the company to expand its team with two key hires. Robin Cornell joined as Operations Manager, bringing experience from Vermont’s startup ecosystem, while Emily Trostel came aboard as Marketing & Vermont Sales Manager after nearly a decade in global tourism marketing.
“2025 marked a very exciting year for Lost Lantern, even as the spirits industry faced some new challenges,” said co-founders Adam Polonski and Nora Ganley-Roper.
The pair added: “We were particularly pleased by the great response to the Lost Lantern Discovery Club, launched last spring, which doubles down on our mission of helping whiskey lovers discover great distilleries they might otherwise not.”
Lost Lantern’s Discovery Club featured first-time partners, including Baltimore Spirits Co., Backwards Distilling, Oak & Grist, New Holland Brewing & Distilling, and others.
The company saw accelerated demand for private barrels from both trade and private clients throughout 2025. Its Vergennes tasting room, now open for two years, continued to exceed expectations.
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E-commerce sales remained strong, driven by private barrel offerings and retail partnerships. Lost Lantern also launched several whiskies in Vermont for the first time, strengthening its local presence alongside national expansion.
Recognition poured in for Lost Lantern throughout 2025. The tasting room was named to Imbibe 75’s list of inspiring people and places shaping drinking culture.
Polonski and Ganley-Roper earned spots on Beverage Information Group’s 40 Under Forty list. They were also named to Food & Wine magazine’s inaugural Drinks Visionaries list, which honored 12 trailblazers selected from hundreds of nominations.
The brand’s rye whiskies garnered particular acclaim. Lost Lantern Opulent Orchard New York Distilling Co. Rye Whiskey made Maxim’s Best American Rye Whiskeys of 2025.
Farmers’ Fields Rye appeared on Breaking Bourbon’s Best Rye Whiskeys list. Far-Flung Rye II was selected for VinePair’s 50 Best Spirits of 2025 and named Best Rye in their whiskey recommendations for 2026.
“We have very big plans for 2026, and we’re excited to continue to share our enthusiasm and excitement about the ever-broadening world of American whiskey,” the founders stated.
