New independent bottler MaltyVerse is bringing together the worlds of whisky and comic books with its first release in its core Agent W range.
Launching in the United States, the Agent W series will comprise single-cask whiskies that showcase the breadth and imagination of the whisky world. The first expression in the range is a 30-year-old Scotch whisky from the now-silent Cambus Distillery, which was matured in a first-fill sherry butt and bottled in late 2021 at an ABV of 48%.
Alongside the whisky, MaltyVerse has also launched the first instalment in its Agent W comic book series: set in the year 2100, the series follows an agent fighting to protect the world's remaining barrels of rare whisky from nefarious interests.
Only 550 bottles of the first Agent W whisky release have been made available, and only 550 copies of the first Agent W comic book printed.
MaltyVerse's founder and CEO is whisky writer and consultant George Koutsakis, who collaborated with racing driver Jenson Button on the hotly anticipated Coachbuilt whisky earlier in 2022. He will lead the company alongside art director Carl Harrison, who will produce art for the whiskies and head up collaborations with other illustrators.
Of the new release, Koutsakis said: "There are so many amazing rare whisky brands and bottlers out there, all doing amazing things. I didn't want to create something that already exists, so decided to so something completely different. To move away from the more traditional labels and range that depict Scotland and its history, and create something modern, colourful – that's just plain fun.
"The storytelling part of the project is the most exciting for me as a writer. Writing the comic book and creating the universe has been so exciting. And luckily I found Carl, a truly amazing artist, who manages to perfectly bring everything I write to life. I really hope drinkers become fans of W and his adventures."
Agent W is available to directly from www.maltyverse.com. The official launch date is 16 September, but those who are interested can register to pre-order from 6 September. Each bottle, retailing for US$399, comes with a copy of the comic book, a gift box, and exclusive access to the website's comic section.
Launching in the United States, the Agent W series will comprise single-cask whiskies that showcase the breadth and imagination of the whisky world. The first expression in the range is a 30-year-old Scotch whisky from the now-silent Cambus Distillery, which was matured in a first-fill sherry butt and bottled in late 2021 at an ABV of 48%.
Alongside the whisky, MaltyVerse has also launched the first instalment in its Agent W comic book series: set in the year 2100, the series follows an agent fighting to protect the world's remaining barrels of rare whisky from nefarious interests.
Only 550 bottles of the first Agent W whisky release have been made available, and only 550 copies of the first Agent W comic book printed.
MaltyVerse's founder and CEO is whisky writer and consultant George Koutsakis, who collaborated with racing driver Jenson Button on the hotly anticipated Coachbuilt whisky earlier in 2022. He will lead the company alongside art director Carl Harrison, who will produce art for the whiskies and head up collaborations with other illustrators.
Of the new release, Koutsakis said: "There are so many amazing rare whisky brands and bottlers out there, all doing amazing things. I didn't want to create something that already exists, so decided to so something completely different. To move away from the more traditional labels and range that depict Scotland and its history, and create something modern, colourful – that's just plain fun.
"The storytelling part of the project is the most exciting for me as a writer. Writing the comic book and creating the universe has been so exciting. And luckily I found Carl, a truly amazing artist, who manages to perfectly bring everything I write to life. I really hope drinkers become fans of W and his adventures."
Agent W is available to directly from www.maltyverse.com. The official launch date is 16 September, but those who are interested can register to pre-order from 6 September. Each bottle, retailing for US$399, comes with a copy of the comic book, a gift box, and exclusive access to the website's comic section.
