Game of Thrones Baratheon Royal Lochnagar 12 Scotch Review
This is my first gimmicky item review - the Game of Thrones House Baratheon Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Single Malt Scotch. This is one offering of eight to celebrate the final season of Game of Thrones starting in April of this year. But you all knew that because you're obsessed. I'd like to thank one Kenneth Day for providing me with this sample and his name will forever be etched in the Bad Wine Reviews Hall of Fame.
Most people cringe whenever a celebrity or pop culture symbol gets involved in the alcohol world because said people almost immediately believe it to be a gimmick hell bent on making money. Welcome to capitalism, ya dummies! It obviously worked because these bottles are sold out, scooped up and hidden away in dungeon master basements waiting for the perfect time to sell as a set 20 years down the road to a nostalgic asshole wearing a fedora.
This particular bottle was produced by Royal Lochnagar in the highlands of Scotland. You can read all about them on their website but just know they were given a royal warrant by Queen Victoria in 1848 after PRINCE ALBERT LMAOOOOO visited and liked their swag. The other 7 bottles are produced by other people blah blah blah.
I like to keep an open mind because I'm a better person than you and I think all alcohol deserves a fair shot at being hurrah'd. Unfortunately this one just gets a 'sup from me in a parking lot. It's not bad - it's just not memorable, complex or naughty. On the nose I get some citrus [READ LEMON], mushroom and the ol' typical slightly smokey Scotch smell. In da mouf, it legitimately tasted like grilled corn but without butter AND WHY ON EARTH WOULDN'T IT HAVE BUTTER?! The mouthfeel is quite thin which tapers (not the animal, dumbass) off into a bitter finish almost like dying after a pig hunt.
I would have to say it's slightly gimmicky but it's a standard 12 year old Scotch. If you like grilled corn without butter and maybe a tad bit of salt then you'll probably like this. The secondary market is getting stupid on these so come over to my crib, bring some nacho cheese and we'll drink better stuff.