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.

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.