Of the three distilleries included in Lost Lantern’s sample package, Frey Ranch was the only one I was familiar with (the other two being Spirit Works and Cedar Ridge). I hadn’t tried anything from them yet, but they had garnered a strong reputation among people whose palates I trust.

Coming out of Northern Nevada, Frey Ranch puts great pride in their ground-to-glass approach. From everything I can find, they hold to it, too. Producing bourbons and ryes in a fairly unique climate with grains entirely from their own farms, Frey Ranch brings a version of terroir we’re seeing in brands like Waterford Irish Whiskey and Stoll & Wolfe Distillery.

Again, I wasn’t too familiar with Frey Ranch before now, but I did know one thing: their bourbon is a four-grain mashbill. Or is it?

According to Lost Lantern’s Nora and Adam, Frey Ranch puts out different batches of bourbon, mostly four-grain with some three-grain. This particular bottling came from a three-grain cask, so I won’t extrapolate anything from this to their other products. Lost Lantern does note that this is one of the first three-grain whiskies ever to come from Frey Ranch, meaning it leans into the second sweet spot for independent bottling: off-profile enough to be interesting and accentuate different facets from the distillery.

The overall profile is a bevy of fruits, dark, red, and stone fruits that complement a nicely balanced proof. I’m reminded several times throughout the tasting of aged rums or armagnacs, where it’s fruity without being overly sweet.

The oak in this 5-year-old bourbon also balances that sweetness, imparting baking spices and creaminess with a solid oak woodiness. This was an excellent sipper, but also one I’d want to put in a cocktail to highlight the whiskey rather than hide it (remember that - most of the time, if you see “would go great in a cocktail,” that’s not a great sign).

With this dram, though, I can see it being an essential “try this” cocktail component. A Boulevardier with juniper-heavy gin or a Manhattan with walnut bitters would be deliciously layered. Will probably grab a bottle of this just to…you know….experiment.

Thank you to Lost Lantern for providing a sample of this product with no editorial constraints.

Lost Lantern 2022 Single Cask #6: Frey Ranch Distillery Nevada Three Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Specs

Classification: Nevada Straight Bourbon

Origin: Frey Ranch Distillery

Mashbill: 67% Corn, 12% 2-Row Malted Barley, and 21% Winter Rye

Proof: 118.2 (59.1% ABV)

Age: 5 Years Old

Location: Nevada

Lost Lantern 2022 Single Cask #6: Frey Ranch Distillery Nevada Three Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey Price: $100

Official Website

Lost Lantern 2022 Single Cask #6: Frey Ranch Distillery Nevada Three Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Coppered gold. Medium rims, large droplets hang on the rim.

Nose: Oaky caramel corn. An armagnac-like vinous sweetness. Slightly minty, like a drop of extract per bottle. Tropical fruit grows - think rums from Belize or Mauritius. Intriguing as hell.

Palate: Quite rummy. Some spice on the front tongue followed by dark, stewed fruit and dark brown sugar. Manuka or buckwheat honey, new charred oak. Despite all this, not at all too sweet. Mouthfeel is syrupy, medium to full, white pepper on the tongue and burnt brown sugar underneath it. Coating and creamy.

Finish: Medium length, creme brûlée topping with brown sugar (can you do that?). A Boulevardier or Old Fashioned finished in a small cask for a few weeks with a hint of orange coming through.

Overall: A great first taste of Frey Ranch, even if it might be off-profile. The oak is a tad woodier than I would like, but the overall profile calms it down with the sweet notes. It’s dark and fruity, reminding me of rums and armagnacs at a high proof. Would gladly have a bottle of this.

Final Rating: 7.7

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary

8 | Excellent | Exceptional

7 | Great | Well above average

6 | Very Good | Better than average

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary

4 | Has promise but needs work

1-3 | Let’s have a conversation