Dalwhinnie Winter’s Frost Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

Whiskies tying into movies and TV series have been a thing for a the last few years or so, and back during the late stage of Game of Thrones the world’s biggest drinks company, Diageo, decided to join that game. Using their Classic Malts brands as the basis, Diageo introduced a line of malts, one for each of the major houses that drove the plotline in the series. The show is gone, but the malts remain, and I’ve circled back around to check out the one concocted for the leading house of The North, House Stark.

Leaving aside the promotional drama, Winter’s Frost is a Dalwhinnie malt whisky matured in ex-bourbon barrels and bottled with no age statement at 43% ABV.

The Scotch
Although inspired by a group of nobles who carved out an empire in a frigid place, this Dalwhinnie isn’t the kind of whisky I associate with truly wintertime drinking. A pour has a golden look, and a scent of honey and melon, accented by dry pine needles and ginger. A sip takes that smell to canned peaches, with honey and a little toffee and caramel stirred into the syrup. The pine note persists, with its spicy edge turning to cinnamon. I thought I caught the faintest particle of smoke as well. The finish opens dry and woody, rising to become drier still before fading away.

The Price
My survey of online retailers indicates you should be able to get this whisky for a very reasonable $40 to $45.