Orphan Barrel Unveils ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Latverian Cask Light Whiskey

In recent decades, the whiskey world has seen no shortage of movie and TV-themed bottlings. Johnnie Walker had its Game of Thrones whisky collection. Pōkeno Distillery recently announced its "Ringbearer Single Malt," released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. So it's fitting one of the year's most anticipated blockbusters is getting its own special bottle. Enter Orphan Barrel's "Latverian Cask," a 20 year-old blend of light whiskey in honor of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday . (In theaters December 18, in case you weren't keeping track.)

(If you want to skip ahead to my full tasting notes and thoughts, feel free to scroll down.)

Under parent company Diageo, Orphan Barrel claims to take "rare, long-forgotten whiskeys hidden away in rickhouses and give them the careful attention they deserve"—words written right on the label. Previous releases have included numerous ultra-aged bourbons, 14 year rye, 25 year Canadian whisky, and even single grain Scotch. Those spirits come from a broad range of distilleries—some disclosed, some not—with casks gradually accumulated under Diageo's ownership.

With Orphan Barrel, you never know quite what to expect, which can generally add to the excitement. Their latest is another first for the brand, in this case a light whiskey. (For a deep dive on the history of light whiskey, I'd recommend starting with this article I wrote some years back.) All barrels used in Latverian Cask were distilled by MGP in Indiana, using a 99% corn mash bill. Casks—some ex-bourbon, some ex-rye, and some multiuse—were aged across both Indiana and Kentucky for a minimum of 20 years. After cask selection and blending, the final product was bottled at 92 proof.

"When we discovered this 20-Year-Old Light Whiskey, what stood out was how much character it had developed over two decades while still retaining the softer profile that defines the category," says Andrew Mackay, master blender for Diageo's US Whiskey portfolio.

With Latverian Cask, the whiskey is just one part of the equation; there's that Avengers tie-in, after all. The release itself is named after Latveria, the fictional European dictatorship of Marvel archvillain Doctor Victor von Doom. Each bottle comes adorned with an illustration by Marvel artist Rod Reis, available in two color variants. One in six bottles features a holographic version of the label, presumably adding to its collectibility.

Bottles hit shelves nationwide in November, each with a suggested retail price of $200. That's a premium price tag, and of course, the whiskey certainly boasts an impressive age statement. But I should give some context here. Since the mid-2010s, highly-aged, MGP-distilled light whiskey has worked its way into numerous lineups. Brands like High West, Old Carter, Obtainium, Seelbach's, and Penelope (owned by MGP parent Sempreon) have all released their own light whiskey blends or single barrels. Some come with secondary cask finishes, while others are bottled at mind-boggling high proofs. Penelope's recent 18 year-old expression is bottled at cask strength—roughly 140 proof—and retails for $100, half of MSRP for Latverian Cask.

All that said, very few American whiskeys achieve a 20 year age statement. And few have mega-movie, collectible tie-ins. So let's pour a glass of Latverian Cask and assess based on flavor.

Orphan Barrel Latverian Cask Review And Tasting Notes

The nose starts off with some classic light whiskey aromas, leaning sweet but not as saccharine as the spirit can sometimes veer. Instead, we've got a nice composite of crème caramel, honey flavored cough drops, and almond extract. (The almond extract is especially pronounced and may immediately remind some drinkers of similarly produced Canadian whiskies.) Scents get progressively nuttier with time in the glass, and baking spice also builds, including the hallmark nutmeg that often develops with this particular MGP mash bill. Lemon drop candies lend a final note of citrus to a nose that overall punches well above its 92 proof. Perhaps I'm too used to near-hazmat light whiskeys, but initially, I was concerned with the relatively low proof. At least on the nose, I needn't have worried.

On the palate, I'm actually a bit relieved at the approachable first sip. Latverian Cask is sweet and again heavy on the almond, but also bready, like a marzipan-filled croissant. Next up is a duo of hard caramel candies and citrus peel—a little sweet, a little sour, and thankfully not cloyingly sweet. It's a tasty enough and composed first act.

However, flavors lose their pop on the midpalate. Gone is that pleasant thread of caramel. In its place come waves of lightly tannic oak and barely-sweet sour fruit gum. A relatively thin mouthfeel isn't doing the pour too many favors, and even the citrus feels somewhat fleeting. Fortunately, lemon drops claw back on the finish, giving the sip a little structure right when it needs it most. Touches of burnt honey and oak close things out.

On paper, Orphan Barrel's Latverian Cask had the potential to surprise. While it rarely hits the complexity of great straight bourbon or rye, in my mind, light whiskey remains an underrated American spirit. With the right stock of mature casks, an astute blender can play alchemist, turning 99% corn and used barrels into something special indeed.

While it has its moments, Latverian Cask doesn't quite transcend into the top tier of light whiskeys. Perhaps it's the proof, or maybe this particular blend just didn't make the full leap from theory to taste. At the end of the day, it's competing against richer, punchier light whiskeys often marketed at around half the price. Orphan Barrel's latest certainly nails the branding, and the bottle is undeniably striking. Is it collectible? Absolutely. But based on taste alone, this one just didn't soar for me.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com