Chestnut | Candied walnut | Fried dough | Plum | Stewed apple | Light amaretto

Honey | Malted grain | Nutmeg | Plum | Stewed peach | Rich

Leather | Roasted coffee | Dark chocolate | Vanilla cream | Whoppers candy | Touch dry

Sometimes, brand mashups can feel forced, yet other times, they can feel inspired like we have here. New Holland Spirits, home of Dragon’s Milk Beer and Dragon’s Milk Origin Bourbon, has teamed up with Hasbro and their Wizards of the Coast division to celebrate the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th anniversary.

Finishing in mead barrels is new for the Dragon’s Milk Origin brand, and it is also surprisingly rare in the finished bourbon space. Mead is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from honey, water, and yeast, as opposed to grains and hops like beer is. It's considered its own category of alcohol, distinct from beer, and is one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages, which is why you often see it in medieval and fantasy-based entertainment and why pairing it with a Dungeons & Dragons pairing makes so much sense. Mead is typically aged, and its alcohol content is often much higher than that of a typical beer and more in line with wine or dark beer.

As we’ve already seen with past Dragon’s Milk Origin Toasted Finished Bourbons, New Holland’s particular style of bourbon lends itself well to a wide range of finishing flavors. That is once again on display with this Origin Mead Cask Bourbon. At a high level, the mead flavors are well integrated with the base bourbon, as both can be easily picked out yet work very well with one another. Unlike Origin Toasted Finished Bourbons, which are released at cask strength, Origin Mead Cask Bourbon is 100 proof, which lends itself to a very drinkable and more mellow drinking experience, but one that still offers a good richness of flavor for its proof point.  

The aroma features more of its base bourbon scents than expected, as chestnut, candied walnut, fried dough, plum, and stewed apple which are often found in their toasted finished bourbons. It is not until the palate, which begins with honey and malted grain, that this whiskey begins to deviate from its base bourbon and showcases its mead finish most prominently. It leans sweet but remains far from excessive, and instead offers an interesting exchange between sweet and baking spice flavors. The finish takes the flavors down a notch into more dark and roasted territory with leather, roasted coffee, and dark chocolate with a touch of lingering dryness.

For those familiar with mead and Dragon’s Milk Origin Bourbon, you probably have an idea of what to expect. But for many, that probably isn’t the case, and Origin Mead Cask Bourbon will be a rather unique tasting experience. Though many will no doubt put it in a similar camp as a stout-finished bourbon, there are plenty of differences once you understand and taste what the mead finishing is bring to the sip. That said, this release seems designed to be accessible to a wide range of drinkers with palatable flavors and a more manageable proof point, and not one that is meant to challenge drinkers with oddball flavors. It does taste unique but not completely foreign, and given its tie in, a creative endeavor perfect for any adventuring party.  

Dragon’s Milk X Dungeon & Dragons Origin Mead Cask Bourbon releases on November 16th and is a 1,500 bottle release. Notably, unlike other limited release Dragons Origin Bourbon releases, this bottle is not a distillery exclusive and will be sold online via the company website.