Lost Lantern, the Vermont-based independent bottler of American whiskey, enters 2026 following a year of continued momentum, defined by strategic investment, team growth, solid consumer demand, and national recognition.
In 2025, Lost Lantern successfully closed a $1 million seed round led by FreshTracks Capital, a leading Vermont venture capital firm. The investment supports expanded sales and marketing initiatives as the company prepares for a major new release slated for 2026. The funding also enabled Lost Lantern to grow its team, reinforcing the company’s long-term vision and operational strength.
As part of that expansion, Lost Lantern welcomed Robin Cornell as Operations Manager and Emily Trostel as Marketing & Vermont Sales Manager. Cornell brings deep experience from Vermont’s startup ecosystem and works closely with Co-Founder Nora Ganley-Roper to oversee day-to-day operations. Trostel joins Lost Lantern from nearly a decade working in marketing and communications within global tourism, and now focuses on brand growth, consumer engagement, and the company’s home-state market.
“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. “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. And as we look back on the year, it was a tremendous honor to be named to Food & Wine’s inaugural list of Drinks Visionaries — a true validation of our vision for American whiskey. 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.”
Throughout 2025, Lost Lantern continued to build momentum across multiple areas of the business. Demand for private barrels accelerated, with a notable uptick in interest from both trade and private clients. The company’s tasting room in Vergennes, now open just over two years, continued to outperform expectations, while ecommerce sales remained robust, driven by private barrel offerings, overall strong consumer demand, and trusted online retail partnerships. In 2025, Lost Lantern also launched several of its whiskies in its home market of Vermont for the first time, further anchoring the brand locally alongside its expanding national reach.
The launch of the company’s Discovery Club was another highlight of the year, generating strong enthusiasm from whiskey lovers eager to explore new distilleries and exclusive bottlings curated by the Lost Lantern team. First-time Lost Lantern distillery partners featured in the first year of the Discovery Club included Baltimore Spirits Co. in Maryland, Backwards Distilling in Wyoming, Oak & Grist in North Carolina, New Holland Brewing & Distilling in Michigan, and more.
2025 also brought a wave of recognition for Lost Lantern, its founders, and its whiskies. The Lost Lantern Tasting Room was named to the Imbibe 75, a curated list of inspiring people and places shaping the way we drink. Co-Founders Adam Polonski and Nora Ganley-Roper were named to Beverage Information Group’s 40 Under Forty, while Ganley-Roper was also honored on the publication’s Women in Beverage list. Polonski was additionally recognized as a VermontBiz Rising Star for his contributions to the state’s economy and community. Nationally, Polonski and Ganley-Roper were named to Food & Wine magazine’s inaugural Drinks Visionaries list, which honors trailblazers shaping the future of beverage culture. The first-ever class included just 12 honorees selected from hundreds of nominations by a panel of bartenders, winemakers, brewers, and hospitality professionals.
Looking ahead, Lost Lantern is poised for an ambitious 2026, with major new projects, releases, and partnerships in development that the company looks forward to sharing in the coming year.