‘Lord of the Rings’ Toasts 25th Anniversary with Unorthodox Single Malt Whisky Release

(Photo: Pōkeno)

One whisky to rule them all? In the world of officially licensed single malts, the answer is a resounding yes.

On Tuesday, New Zealand’s Pōkeno Distillery traveled to the Shire and back with the unveiling of the Ringbearer Single Malt, a limited-edition release commemorating the 25th anniversary of “The Fellowship of the Ring.” According to the team, the bottling is a love letter to the symbiotic relationship between Middle-earth and the verdant landscape where the films were shot on the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

The whisky presents a somewhat unusual blend of cask types and styles. The liquid is distilled from 100% malted barley sourced from New Zealand farms, which undergoes a 90-hour fermentation cycle said to imbue hints of the local subtropical climate. The single malt is then aged for an average of six years in not one but four different barrels: around 45% first-fill bourbon, around 35% virgin oak, around 10% French Muscat casks and the remaining 5% to 12% Manuka honey casks.

Needless to say, the team had a lot of fun writing the tasting notes for this one. Pōkeno co-founder Matt Johns says that the whisky has the same hue as “vividly layered, dragon hoard gold,” followed by flavors of banana, melon and warm buttered toast and a finish evocative of a “Lothlórien day.”

“We are very proud to be crafting creative and innovative single malts which are a true reflection of the climate and culture of our wonderful, mystical country,” Johns said in a news release. “We have pushed the boundaries with Ringbearer with the use of Manuka honey seasoned casks which is the first time that this has been done.”

The Ringbearer Single Malt is bottled at 46% ABV and hosts a suggested retail price of $109.99. Pre-orders are now open on the brand’s website and are expected to ship sometime in mid to late September.

The bottling was made possible thanks to a collaborative effort with Syzygy Forge, the official licensee of “Lord of the Rings” spirits. The Tennessee-based company has curated a small handful of releases over the past few years, including an American single malt featuring an image of Gandalf facing off against the fiery Balrog and a Green Dragon Wheated Whiskey inspired by the namesake inn of the Shire.

“Working with Pōkeno gave us the opportunity to create something that feels genuinely connected to New Zealand,” founder Jordan Costner added. “Ringbearer is more than a licensed whisky. It’s a celebration of the land, the craft, and the place that helped bring Middle-earth to life on the big screen.”