Game of Thrones might be over, but it lives on in Scotland as Johnnie Walker is launching two new limited-edition blends in honor of the series. Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice honors House Stark, while Johnnie Walker A Song of Fire salutes House Targaryen. Both whiskies are available nationwide for $36.
Meanwhile, Glen Moray has debuted a 21 year old single malt finished in port casks. There are 1,200 bottles of the whisky coming to the U.S. this year, priced at $180. Glen Moray announced today that master distiller Graham Coull is leaving to join Ireland’s Dingle Distillery—which also has a new whiskey out this week (keep reading).
Jameson Caskmates has made two special editions in partnership with Chicago’s Revolution Brewing and Bale Breaker Brewing Co. in Yakima, Washington. Both priced at $30, the whiskeys are available within and close to the breweries’ home states.
Widow Jane is releasing a limited-edition 14 year old blend of straight bourbons sourced from Indiana and Tennessee. Just 3,000 bottles, priced at $150, are available.
MGP Distillery has unveiled the third release in its Remus Repeal Reserve series, which hits shelves in November. Priced at $85, the straight bourbon will be available in limited amounts.
Three new single malts from Wales’ Penderyn Distillery are coming to the U.S.: Peated ($70), Rich Oak ($85), and Portwood ($100). They’re available in most states.
Batch No. 4 of Dingle Distillery’s single malt Irish whiskey is rolling out. There are 12,000 bottles for the U.S., priced at $100.
Galena, Illinois’ Blaum Bros. Distillery is releasing a straight rye, aged for 4 years. The whiskey is available in five states, priced at $50.
Raleigh, North Carolina-based Lonerider Spirits has a new bourbon finished in stout barrels from its sister brewery. Just 1,000 bottles of Lonerider Deadwood Cask-Finished bourbon are available at $50 each.
Finally, whisky importer ImpEx Beverages is bringing an exclusive single-cask Kilchoman 100% Islay to the U.S. Priced at $140, there are 134 bottles available.
Read on for full details.
Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice
Style: Blended whisky
Origin: Scotland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 40.2% ABV
Price: $36
Release: August 2019 in the U.S.; October 2019 globally
Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
This limited-edition Johnnie Walker is named in honor of House Stark of the Game of Thrones TV and book series (the first volume of which is called “A Song of Ice and Fire”). It features Clynelish single malt and is recommended to be served on ice.
Johnnie Walker A Song of Fire
Style: Blended whisky
Origin: Scotland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 40.8% ABV
Price: $36
Release: August 2019 in the U.S.; October 2019 globally
Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
Going along with A Song of Ice is this blend, named for House Targaryen and featuring peated whisky from Caol Ila. The iconic Striding Man is facing left on this bottle, rather than the usual right, so that when it’s positioned next to A Song of Ice, the opposition of the two houses is clear.
Whisky Advocate says:
Because White Walker—and a slew of single malts—wasn’t enough to sate thirsty Game of Thrones fans, now there are these two new blends. Although the show is over, you can always re-watch it while drinking these whiskies—or hold onto them until the planned prequels arrive.
Glen Moray 21 Year Old Portwood-Finished
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Speyside)
Age: 21 years old
Proof: 46.3% ABV
Price: $180
Release: September 2019
Availability: 4,000 bottles, including 1,200 for the U.S.
Need to know:
Aged for 19 years in bourbon casks, this whisky was then finished in tawny port casks from Porto Cruz. It’s bottled without added coloring or chill filtration.
Whisky Advocate says:
Glen Moray master distiller Graham Coull (who just announced his departure for Ireland’s Dingle Distillery) has become known for his cask finishing prowess, and you don’t have to buy this 21 year old to experience it for yourself. The distillery’s core range of non-age statement single malts includes port, sherry, cabernet sauvignon, and chardonnay finishes, all very reasonably priced. Still, if you’re looking for a splurge on an age-stated scotch, you could do much worse; besides this new 21 year old—which we’ll review soon—Glen Moray 18 year old scored 92 points and was named No. 10 in the 2017 Top 20.
Jameson Caskmates Revolution Brewing Limited Edition
Style: Blended whiskey
Origin: Ireland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 40% ABV
Price: $30
Release: August 2019
Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
Jameson has partnered with Chicago’s Revolution Brewing for this special edition of Caskmates, its blend finished in beer barrels. Brewers from Revolution went to Ireland to brew its Fist City pale ale, which seasoned casks that were later used for finishing the Jameson.
Jameson Caskmates Bale Breaker Limited Edition
Style: Blended whiskey
Origin: Ireland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 40% ABV
Price: $30
Release: August 2019
Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
Similar to the Revolution Brewing edition above, this Jameson was finished in beer barrels that formerly held Bale Breaker’s Topcutter IPA, brewed in Ireland for the specific purpose of seasoning barrels for finishing the whiskey.
Whisky Advocate says:
While Jameson Caskmates’ core stout- and IPA-finished blends are available nationwide, these two special editions can be found in stores within and close to the breweries’ home states of Illinois (Revolution) and Washington (Bale Breaker). Like all Caskmates offerings, these whiskeys pair well with their partner beers for a Boilermaker.
Widow Jane 14 year old The Vaults (2019 Release)
Style: Blend of straight bourbons
Origin: IN and TN
Age: 14 years old
Proof: 49.5% ABV
Price: $150
Release: September 2019
Availability: 3,000 bottles
Need to know:
The inaugural release in a series of limited-edition whiskeys called The Vaults, this is a blend of straight bourbons aged 14 years and up, sourced from Indiana and Tennessee. Widow Jane head distiller Lisa Wicker selected and blended 20 barrels, then finished the whiskey for 9 months in new charred oak casks made with wood seasoned (that is, left outside to dry and cure) for eight years.
Whisky Advocate says:
The way oak is seasoned, and the length of time it undergoes the process, can affect how the mature whiskey tastes; Chuck Cowdery explains here.
Remus Repeal Reserve Series III
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Indiana
Age: Not stated
Proof: 50% ABV
Price: $85
Release: November 2019
Availability: Limited edition
Need to know:
Made by MGP Distillery, this limited-edition straight bourbon includes whiskeys made in 2007 and 2008 with two distinct mashbills—one with 21% rye, the other with 36% rye. The makeup is as follows:
- 12% bourbon distilled in 2007 (21% rye)
- 78% bourbon distilled in 2008 (21% rye)
- 10% bourbon distilled in 2008 (36% rye)
Whisky Advocate says:
Each year’s Remus Repeal Reserve uses a different combination of mashbills and ages; past editions have scored 87 points (Series I) and 92 points (Series II).
In addition to this bourbon, which is released annually on November 13, George Remus’ birthday, MGP will be rolling out Remus Volstead Reserve in early 2020. Whisky Advocate broke this news earlier in the summer—check out our exclusive article for full details.
Penderyn Peated Single Malt
Style: Single malt
Origin: Wales
Age: Not stated
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $70
Release: September 2019
Availability: Widely available
Need to know:
Made at Penderyn Distillery in Wales, this single malt initially ages in bourbon casks before being finished in peated whisky casks from Islay.
Penderyn Rich Oak Single Malt
Style: Single malt
Origin: Wales
Age: Not stated
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $85
Release: September 2019
Availability: Widely available
Need to know:
Initially aged in bourbon casks, this single malt is then finished in European wine casks that have undergone the “STR” (shave-toast-rechar) process to rejuvenate the oak.
Penderyn Portwood Single Malt
Style: Single malt
Origin: Wales
Age: Not stated
Proof: 46% ABV
Price: $100
Release: September 2019
Availability: Widely available
Need to know:
Like its siblings, this Penderyn single malt is first matured in bourbon casks. Then it undergoes a finish in port casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
Historically, Wales didn’t have a whisky industry, but that changed in 2004 when Penderyn began making single malt on a unique pot-column hybrid still that allows for single distillation. There are several other Penderyn bottlings available in the U.S., like its Sherrywood single malt (92 points) and the Legends series. In fact, one of the Legends series whiskies, Penderyn Celt, was named No. 17 in the 2018 Top 20.
Dingle Single Malt (Batch No. 4)
Style: Single malt
Origin: Ireland
Age: Not stated
Proof: 46.5% ABV
Price: $100
Release: August 2019
Availability: 12,000 bottles for the U.S.
Need to know:
The fourth release of Dingle Distillery’s single malt, this whiskey was triple-distilled and matured in a combination of bourbon, port, and oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
Located in County Kerry, Dingle Distillery has been making whiskey since 2012. Batch #3 of its single malt scored 89 points in the Whisky Advocate Buying Guide.
Blaum Bros. Straight Rye
Style: Straight rye
Origin: Illinois
Age: 4 years old
Proof: 50% ABV
Price: $50
Release: August 2019
Availability: 6,000 bottles; for sale in CO, IL, KY, TN, and WI
Need to know:
Made at Blaum Bros. in Galena, Illinois, this whiskey was distilled from a mashbill of 92% Illinois-grown rye, 5% smoked malted barley, and 3% unsmoked malted barley. It matured for 4 years in 53-gallon barrels made from staves that had been air-dried for 18-24 months.
Whisky Advocate says:
Founded in 2013 by a pair of brothers (natch), Galena, Illinois-based Blaum Bros. Distilling Co.—which also makes other spirits, like vodka, gin, and absinthe, as well as offering the Knotter range of sourced whiskeys—selects grains sourced from their area and abroad which they mill, mash, ferment, and distill on custom-made copper stills. Blaum Bros. announced the release of their straight bourbon in April of this year.
Lonerider Deadwood Cask-Finished Bourbon
Style: Bourbon
Origin: Indiana
Age: Not stated
Proof: 45%
Price: $50
Release: August 2019
Availability: 1,000 bottles; for sale in NC only
Need to know:
North Carolina’s Lonerider Spirits is teaming up with its sister brewing company of the same name to release a beer barrel-finished bourbon. Deadwood Cask-Finished bourbon was distilled at MGP from a mashbill of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley and aged in new charred oak barrels before being finished for 6 weeks in barrels that formerly held Lonerider Brewery’s bourbon barrel-aged Deadwood nitro Russian stout.
Whisky Advocate says:
From whiskies made from beer to whiskies finished in beer barrels, we’ve seen the union between these two drinks continue to grow, with Lonerider adding to the list. Only 1,000 bottles of Deadwood Cask-Finished are available in North Carolina, but the distillery says it can scale up its sourcing and production. Lonerider is currently distilling bourbon and waiting for it to mature.
Kilchoman 100% Islay ImpEx Cask Evolution 02/2019 (Cask #622/2011)
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 7 years old
Proof: 56.1% ABV
Price: $140
Release: September 2019
Availability: 324 bottles for the U.S. only
Need to know:
Exclusive to Kilchoman’s U.S. importer, ImpEx Beverages, this single-cask 100% Islay single malt was distilled on Oct. 13, 2011, matured in a sherry hogshead, and bottled on May 20, 2019.
Whisky Advocate says:
While all Kilchoman whiskies are distilled and matured on Islay, the 100% Islay series goes a step further and uses only barley that was grown on the distillery’s farm and malted on-site using its old-fashioned malting floor. This single-cask expression is the first fully sherry-matured 100% Islay available in the U.S. and was selected by ImpEx’s team during a company trip to Islay.
