From The Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones: 5 Whiskies for True Fans

Thursday, 15 October 2026 at 09:16

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Buying a whisky because you’re a fan of a TV series, film or racing driver? That may sound like pure marketing. Sometimes it is. But sometimes there’s a little more to it than just an attractive label.

When the official Lord of the Rings whisky arrived from New Zealand this summer, a remarkable number of you wanted to know everything about the bottle. But Middle-earth isn’t the only fictional world finding its way into a whisky glass. From Westeros to the Scottish Highlands of Outlander, and from Formula 1 to pop music, these are the fandom whiskies collectors are searching for right now.

And we’re not looking only at the packaging. Because the most important question, of course, remains: what’s actually in the bottle?

Kyrö Whisky of Fire and Whisky of Blood

We’ll start with perhaps the most unexpected collaboration. Finnish Kyrö Distillery Company has teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products on a limited-edition whisky series inspired by Game of Thrones. According to the distillery’s own founding legend, Kyrö was born in a sauna in the Finnish countryside. That doesn’t immediately sound like an obvious partner for Westeros.

Yet the story makes more sense than you might think. Kyrö based the two whiskies on House Targaryen and its motto, ‘fire and blood’, giving rise to Whisky of Fire and Whisky of Blood. Both are rye whiskies, Kyrö’s speciality.

Whisky of Fire is made from 100% smoked malted rye. It matures in ex-bourbon barrels and new American oak before receiving a finish in old rum casks. Whisky of Blood is the softer of the two siblings. It is made from 100% malted rye and matured in ex-bourbon barrels and French oak.

Whisky of Fire

Nose: A touch of smoke, toasted rye and spiced apple.
Palate: Complex smoke, minerals, sweet grains, blackberry and a whisper of menthol.
Finish: Rich and long, with rolling smoke, sweet and dry at the same time.

Whisky of Blood

Nose: Fresh grains, a hint of apple and apricot, tonka bean, chestnut and beeswax.
Palate: Fruity and sweet, underpinned by rye spice, chestnut, crème brûlée and toasted grains.
Finish: Lingering spice, tonka vanilla and rye.

They have been available in limited quantities in selected markets since June, with a recommended retail price of 70 to 85 euros per bottle.

The Sassenach Jamie Fraser Collection

Outlander fans of course know Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser. Less well known is that the actor has had his own whisky brand, The Sassenach, for several years. To mark the final season of Outlander, he released a one-off edition combining whisky, a collector’s box and a personal tribute to the character he played for more than a decade.

That tribute is quite literal. The box contains a letter written by Heughan himself, in which he reflects on his connection with Jamie Fraser and thanks the character for his company. It struck a chord with fans. In the United States, more than 4,000 bottles had already been pre-ordered before the first shipment left the door.

And the whisky itself? The Sassenach is a blend consisting mainly of 9- to 12-year-old single malts, complemented by older organic single grain matured in bourbon casks. Everything receives a finish in Madeira casks. This is no ordinary blend.

Nose: Fresh citrus—clementine and lemon—alongside almond, vanilla and soft orchard fruit.
Palate: Stone fruit such as peach and apricot, honey, butterscotch, and warming cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: Smooth and lingering, with caramel, baked spices and warmth.

The bottle holds 75 centilitres, is bottled at 46% ABV and has a recommended retail price of $189. At Galloway Distillery in the United Kingdom, it is priced at £139.99.

Chivas Regal 16 Charles Leclerc

For F1 fans, this may well be the most interesting bottle of the lot. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc worked with Chivas Regal master blender Sandy Hyslop to create a blend of sixteen whiskies, each at least sixteen years old. It is the first 16-year-old whisky in the brand’s history, and the number is no coincidence: 16 is also Leclerc’s race number, and his birthday falls on the 16th.

Sounds like a marketing gimmick? Perhaps, in part. But look at the whisky itself and it’s clear that serious thought has gone into it. The heart of the blend is Longmorn single malt matured in first-fill sherry casks.

Nose: Sweet mandarin, raisins, manuka honey, warm cinnamon and sticky toffee.
Palate: Orange marmalade, apple pie, toasted oak and ginger spice.
Finish: Long, rich and velvety, with the sherry notes continuing to shine through.

The whisky went on sale in Global Travel Retail in May 2026, across more than forty markets, with its world premiere at Miami International Airport shortly before the Miami Grand Prix. So you don’t necessarily have to be at the airport. Online whisky shops also stock it, for around 58 euro.

Discover the newest releases at Whisky Exchange

Johnnie Walker Black Label x Sabrina Carpenter

Now for a completely different kind of fandom. Johnnie Walker has released a limited-edition Black Label bottle designed in collaboration with Grammy Award winner Sabrina Carpenter. It’s the latest chapter in a partnership spanning several years.

The design is inspired by her album Man’s Best Friend, featuring a distinctive ‘Sabrina blue’ colour and paw prints as a motif.

Let’s be honest, though: inside the bottle is the familiar Black Label. So it’s the same 12-year-old blend as always, just presented in a collectible bottle.

Nose: Sweet vanilla, dried fruit and a subtle hint of smoke.
Palate: Creamy toffee, dark chocolate and gentle spices.
Finish: Long and smooth, with a warm, smoky aftertaste.

The bottle is now available in the UK and will soon be released in other markets, including Mexico, India and several countries across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Anyone hoping to find it in the Netherlands or Belgium will have to be patient a little longer.

Pōkeno Ringbearer

We’ll finish where this story began: in Middle-earth. More details have now emerged about the Lord of the Rings whisky, too.

What makes this bottle especially notable is just how strict the licensing requirements are. Even Hobbiton itself isn’t allowed to sell a bottle of spirits. According to Pōkeno co-founder Matt Johns, they had to jump through quite a few hoops, because the whisky is licensed by Warner Bros and is therefore official Lord of the Rings merchandise.

There’s also more New Zealand in the bottle than you might expect. The whisky matured for around six years in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels, new American oak, French Muscat casks and casks that had previously held mānuka honey.

Nose: Vanilla, white chocolate, mānuka honey and white peach.
Palate: Spicy, with banana and melon, followed by honey on buttered toast.
Finish: Lingering honeyed sweetness and warmth.

Collectible or just a pretty label?

Place these five bottles side by side and you’ll see two distinct kinds of fandom whisky. On the one hand, there are bottles where the story is mainly in the packaging, such as the Sabrina Carpenter Black Label. Fun for fans, but nothing new in the bottle itself. On the other hand, there are whiskies like Kyrö, Ringbearer and Chivas 16, where the makers have genuinely done something different with the whisky itself. For collectors, that may not matter very much. But if you’re planning to actually open the bottle, it’s worth knowing.

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FAQ

What is fandom whisky?
Whisky made in collaboration with, or inspired by, a film, TV series, artist or athlete. Sometimes it’s simply a special label; other times, it’s an entirely new whisky.
Is there an official Game of Thrones whisky?
Yes. In 2026, Finnish distillery Kyrö released two rye whiskies with Warner Bros Discovery: Whisky of Fire and Whisky of Blood.
Does Sabrina Carpenter Johnnie Walker taste different from regular Black Label?
No. The bottle contains the familiar 12-year-old Black Label. Only the bottle design is different.