(Photo: Indri Whisky)
HBO's "House of the Dragon" is once again making its mark on the alcohol industry — and no, we're not talking about the negroni sbagliato.
On Tuesday, Indri Distillery unveiled a duo of "Dragon"-themed single malt whiskies in partnership with Virtualness, a blockchain and generative AI-powered authentication platform. In short, the collaboration entails a scannable QR code on the back of each bottle that directs users to an NFT certificate verifying their purchase. If we had to guess, we'd gander that the NFTs will take the form of a virtual dragon or character portrait.
Indri is a single malt whisky brand based in India.
The whiskies themselves are themed after the show's central feud between Princess Rhaeynara and Alicent Hightower. House of Black, a peated single malt said to embody "the fiery spirit of the Black council," balances aromas of creamy vanilla and raisins with flavors of figs, toffee and chocolate. Meanwhile, the unpeated House of Green delivers a nose of bananas and pineapple alongside a nutty, dried fruit palate. Indri has yet to announce the alcohol content or age statement for either of the expressions, which are expected to launch at premium outlets in India between ₹6,000-₹11,500 ($70-$130).
"This collaboration exemplifies Indri’s commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional experiences to our customers," Piccadily Distilleries founder Siddhartha Sharma said in a news release. "By partnering with Virtualness, we are ensuring that customers receive verifiability by claiming their certificate of ownership when purchasing any bottle of our Game of Thrones ‘House of The Dragon’ Exclusive Edition."
Piccadily claims to be the largest independent manufacturer and seller of malt spirits in India. It produces a handful of brands, including Indri.
Headed by the Sharma family of Piccadilly Distilleries, Indri hit the market in 2021 with what it describes to be India's first and most awarded triple cask single malt. With its latest bottling, the brand forays into an ever-growing pantheon of Westeros-themed alcohol releases.
Since its premiere in 2011, "Game of Thrones" and its spin-offs have inspired an entire genre of co-branded bottlings featuring house sigils, three-eyed ravens and everything in between. Browsing the web, you'll find a back catalog of dragon-sized proportions; fans can pick up countless beers with names like Iron Throne Blonde Ale and Seven Kingdoms Hoppy Wheat, a variety of wines in every shade and an especially pun-worthy White Walker by Johnnie Walker scotch whisky.
A handful have been outright delicious. Clynelish Game of Thrones Edition Scotch — released alongside similarly Thrones-centric bottlings from Lagavulin, Talisker and Cardhu Gold Reserve — impressed us upon release with a rich palate of toffee, fresh baked bread, honey and lingering plum notes.
If you're interested in checking out Indri's take on the concept, find the brand's website here.
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