Gamers Rejoice: Final Fantasy XIV Whisky Debuts to Celebrate 10th Anniversary of the Critically Acclaimed Video Game
Nagahama Distillery’s Final Fantasy XIV x Nagahama Distillery whiskies are set to release in Japan. (Photo Nagahama Whiskey/Twitter)
A Final Fantasy XIV whisky collection is set to debut in Japan, Siliconera reported Wednesday. The trio of whiskies are inspired by the video game Final Fantasy XIV and were made at the Nagahama distillery. The distillery’s release is in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the critically acclaimed video game.
Bottles will be available for purchase online and at the Final Fantasy XIV x Isetan live event in Japan.
Nagahama Distillery is still in its nascent years and is quite possibly one of the smallest distilleries in Japan. Located in the town of Shiga, Nagahama is actually an extension of the Nagahama Roman Brewery, according to Whiskey Magazine. The brewery dates back to 1996, and the choice to add a distillery extension seemed like a logical one, as the first steps in whiskey production involve brewing a beer.
Each expression is based on the Ul’dah, Gridania and Limsa Lominsa locations within the game. The whiskies have their own bespoke bottle and clock in at 47% ABV.
Each bottle is priced at 8,800 yen ($60).
Video Game-Inspired Whiskies — a Growing Category?
For many, video games and whiskey are arguably the perfect pairing. According to Statista, revenue in the gaming market is projected to reach $334 billion and the whisky market to reach $18 billion in 2023. It seems like a no-brainer these two highly lucrative industries would collide in some way.
Throughout the years, whiskey brands have collaborated with gaming companies yielding limited-release expressions left and right.
In July, Wakatsuru Distillery launched a series of whiskies inspired by Japan’s wildly popular “Persona” gaming franchise. In August 2022, Chivas Brothers launched a whiskey inspired by the game “The Last of Us Part II,” which inspired the hit television series on HBO. An Assassin’s Creed bourbon launched that same month, encouraging whiskey and gaming nerds to “game hard, drink responsibly.”
In perhaps the most creative collaboration, the scotch brand Ballantine’s chose to actually “hire” a video game character. Ballantine’s tapped Mad Moxxi from the Borderlands franchise to expand its presence in the gaming world.
Whether more video game-inspired whiskey releases will continue remains to be seen, but we’d venture to guess it’s highly likely.
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