Recently, a lovely surprise arrived at my door: a bottle of Quest’s End: Rogue, the second premium whiskey from Matthew Lillard and Justin Ware’s company, Find Familiar Spirits. Named as a nod to the famous spell, Find Familiar Spirits is the world’s first spirits company dedicated to providing fandoms with high-end curated potables to call their own.
With the arrival of Quest’s End: Rogue, it was time to hold a tasting of the new bottle, as well as the first whiskey in the series, Quest’s End: Paladin, to compare the two.
What Is Quest’s End: Rogue?
Quest’s End: Rogue is the second artisanal whiskey released in an ongoing series. As detailed in my article last year, Quest’s End is a limited-edition series of super-premium whiskeys, all themed around a fantasy story written by Kate Welch and illustrated by Tyler Jacobson. Each new release of Quest’s End will be limited and named after a character, weapon, or location in a larger serialized story, with a separate flavor profile of that release inspired by each character’s role in the story.
Quest’s End: Rogue is currently available for purchase at the Quest’s End website, or through distributor partner Seelbach’s. A bottle costs $149.99, and includes the second chapter in the serialized story Dawn of the Unbound Gods.
Tasting Quest’s End: Paladin and Rogue
I decided I wanted to do a tasting of both Quest’s End whiskeys, to be able to compare and contrast the two. Paladin‘s tasting profile is, “notes of vanilla and fruit in keeping with the noble aims of a Paladin, with an undercurrent of spice to reflect their fighting spirit.” Rogue‘s, meanwhile, is, “rich notes of vanilla alongside bright baked apple/jammy fruit and cooling herbaceous notes to create a balanced aroma and finish.”
The two whiskeys definitely have different flavors and finishes. We found Paladin to be a more full-bodied, robust blend- much like its namesake, the taste and strength of the alcohol hits you right away. This is in contrast to Rogue, which has more subtle, delicate flavors. As with a fantasy rogue’s backstab, the strength of the blend sneaks up on you, hitting you after the initial taste.
But of course, you’re not just getting a whiskey with Quest’s End, you’re also getting chapters of an ongoing story, each published in its own booklet. I’m happy to announce that Dawn of the Unbound Gods is a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy read. The chapter that comes with Quest’s End: Rogue focuses on Yuwe the White Spider, a Snow Elf rogue whom chance connects with Seron, the paladin from the first chapter. Even though Rogue is the second chapter in the story, it also stands on its own as a discreet adventure. However, if you pick up a bottle of Quest’s End: Rogue and want to experience the first chapter, you can listen to an audio version of Paladin here, with a readable flipbook coming soon.
The illustrations both support and enhance the writing, leaving readers wanting more. Thankfully, this Summer will see the arrival of the next whiskey in the Quest’s End line: Warlock, along with the third chapter in the story. Each character also has their own D&D 5e-compatible character sheet that comes with their chapters.
Along with the delicious whiskey and enjoyable story, you also get a collectible bottle filled with delightful details. Each whiskey in the series has its own unique embossed symbol on the front of the bottle. On the back is a map of the setting for Dawn of the Unbound Gods, while on the side of the bottle is a hit point meter.
If you enjoy whiskey, and you enjoy fantasy worlds and Dungeons & Dragons, then you’re sure to enjoy Quest’s End: Rogue. Rogue is still available as of this writing, but sadly Paladin is sold out. There are a planned 16 bottles total in the Quest’s End series, with both Warlock and Dragon on their way this year.
For more information, visit the Quest’s End whiskey website.
Find Familiar Spirits provided a bottle for evaluation, but had no input into this review.
