Johnnie Walker Releases Two More 'Game of Thrones' Whiskies
It's been several months since HBO's Game of Thrones premiered its eighth and final season, ending with—spoiler alert—Bran Stark on the Iron Throne, the White Walkers soundly defeated, and surprisingly, most of our favorite characters alive and well. (Though one could argue their storylines left something to be desired.) Whether you liked the series conclusion or not, the premiere was made all the more exciting with a slew of GoT food and beverage products: limited-edition burgers and milkshakes (with Dragonglass!) from Shake Shake, Oreos stamped with house sigils, and even a Scottish whisky dedicated to white walkers, courtesy of Johnnie Walker. The latter launched in fall 2018; however, it appears that Johnnie Walker still has GoT fever, because the brand announced on Monday that two more themed whiskies are joining the family, "A Song of Ice" and "A Song of Fire." Made in collaboration with HBO, the names are a nod to the Game of Thrones book series title, "A Song of Ice and Fire."
"A Song of Ice," naturally, is inspired by House Stark (#TheNorthRemembers) and the "unforgiving force of ice that shapes mountains and stops rivers," ringing in at 40.2 percent ABV. It's fittingly made from a blend of single malt whiskies from Clynelish—one of Scotland's most northern distilleries—and promises a crisp, clean taste with a cold, smooth finish. The bottle design shows snowy woods, a nod to The North's cold winters, with a fierce red-eyed direwolf (Ghost, perhaps?) splashed across the front. If you get your hands on one, know that it's best enjoyed over ice, as is appropriate for a tribute to House Stark.
On the other hand, "A Song of Fire," is inspired by none other than House Targaryen (RIP Dany), with flavors of "subtle smoke from the heated malts of the Caol Ila distillery," which is located near Port Askaig on the isle of Islay, Scotland. This blend packs slightly more of a punch than its icy counterpart, with 40.8 percent ABV—it's also meant to be sipped neat instead of on ice, delivering a "full-bodied flavor which lends a warm, smooth finish." We wouldn't expect anything less from a whisky that hat tips to the Mother of Dragons and her fiery house. The bottle, too, is Targaryen-level fierce, featuring fire, sparks, and a sinister dragon. Both this bottle and the "A Song of Ice" bottle also include the signature Johnnie Walker "striding man" logo; however, it faces backward on the "A Song of Fire" whisky, so that it's squaring off with the striding man on the "A Song of Ice" bottle." The face-off represents the complicated dynamic between the two houses, according to the announcement.
If you want to try the whiskies yourself, they're already available nationwide and will launch globally in October 2019 "wherever fine spirits are sold"—750 milliliter bottles will have a suggested retail price of $36. In other Game of Thrones spirits news, Brewery Ommegang, which has sold several themed beers related to the show, announced its 15th and final GoT beer in July, appropriately titled "My Watch Has Ended." The beer is eight-percent ABV, brewed with maple syrup and fenugreek—the flavor, on the other hand, has "notes of cocoa and toffee." You can expect it to launch this fall.
