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Lost Lantern Single Cask Day’s Defile Idaho Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

At a jaw-dropping 77.2% ABV, is this Idaho bourbon the strongest dram you'll ever try—and does its extreme power actually make it worth pouring?

OVERALL RATING

7
$140
  • Jeffrey Nitschke is a Portland-based attorney passionate about whiskey and cigars, with deep ties to the American whisky community and culture.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Self-described whiskey nerds, Lost Lantern Whiskey co-founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski built their brand by hunting down whiskies no one has discovered and sharing the stories of distilleries they’re most excited about. Lost Lantern is an independent bottler, meaning they do not distill anything but instead acquires spirits from others to make unique blends and expressions. Lost Lantern has three main categories: Blend series, which Lost Lantern uses to create unique blended expressions; the Single Distillery series, which is the same but blended from products of one distillery; and the Single Cask series, which “shine[s] a light on a single distillery through the lens of a single barrel of whiskey.” You can find a rich detail of the mash bill, age, and any other unique traits for each whiskey on Lost Lantern’s website, an uncommon practice which most coinsurers appreciate.

The subject of today’s review is an expression from their Single Cask Series: the Day’s Defile Idaho Straight bourbon Whiskey – 10 year. At a whopping 77.2%, this is THE HIGHEST ABV whiskey this writer has ever seen or heard of. Interestingly, this dram was not distilled by Day’s Defile, but instead was acquired from a now mothballed Idaho Distillery. It “was made from 76% corn, 11% triticale (a hybrid gran of wheat and rye made in the late 19th Century), and 13% malted barley” and is purportedly the “oldest whiskey ever released from the state of Idaho”.
Appearance:
Muted orange and amber with thick, thick legs.
Nose:
Black currants, light sawdust, nutmeg. Beware the first sniff.
Palate:
A soft opening of vanilla transitions to the traditional honey graham cracker bourbon flavors. The sweetness builds upon itself, eventually yielding to toast, figs, and oak notes. Spicy black pepper swings in toward the end.
Finish:
Walnuts, sawdust again, but not a lot of bitterness.
Comments:
At 10 years of age, 77.2% ABV, and with a heavy helping of malted barley and the unique triticale, this bourbon looks great on paper. In execution, it justifies its price point but does little to distinguish itself from other high-end offerings, other than being at the extreme end of ABV concentration. A great whiskey to show of at party, but only a party of bourbon enthusiasts.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Jeffrey Nitschke

Jeffrey Nitschke is Portland area attorney whose career has dovetailed with a love of fine spirits and cigars. His hometown is rich with microdistilleries, which has afforded him the opportunity to learn the nuances of whiskey tasting and whiskey making. His writing and enthusiasm for the hobby has led to lasting friendships with other whiskey aficionados and connisures across the United States.

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