Diageo Ages a Whiskey for "Avengers: Doomsday," and Doctor Doom Gets a $200 Bottle

Diageo's Orphan Barrel whiskey label is tying its latest release to Marvel Studios' upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday," bottling a 20-year-old American light whiskey at 46% ABV and naming it the Latverian Cask, after the fictional nation ruled by Doctor Doom. The bottles carry artwork from Marvel illustrator Rod Reis, and one in six hides a holographic label, a nod to collector-culture marketing that spirits brands usually reserve for their rarest releases.

The bottle sells for $200 and ships in limited quantities starting in November, timed to land right as "Doomsday" marketing ramps up ahead of release. Diageo has been running the Orphan Barrel project as a venue for one-off, story-driven whiskeys for years; pairing one with a Marvel villain is a newer trick, and a cheaper way into the hype cycle than an actual film-studio sponsorship.

It is also, notably, not the first time a brand has hitched itself to "Doomsday" merchandising this month. Whatever the movie turns out to be, its licensing department is already having a great quarter.

Source: Shanken News Daily

Kyle Duford, Founder & Editor, BRNDWIRE. More from Kyle →