Caramel | Leather | Charred oak | Very light

Caramel | Vanilla | Toasted oak | Straightforward

Baking spices | Caramel | Vanilla | Toasted oak | Medium length

Dragon Con Bourbon is a limited edition release in collaboration with Old Fourth Distillery (the company behind Shortbarrel Bourbon) and Dragon Con, the “largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction & fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe,” according to the organization. Both share Atlanta, Georgia roots, and this release ties into Dragon Con’s 40th anniversary. It’s the second collaboration release following 2025’s edition, which was a 100 proof, 2,500 bottle release with otherwise similar characteristics in terms of age, distillation source, and price point. The 2026 release increased to 3,700 bottles, but comes in at a lower 94 proof.

This bourbon collaboration is targeted towards a very specific audience, and that audience is unlikely to be flush with bourbon enthusiasts interested in high proof, high cost, unique tasting pours. The flavor profile is the definition of traditional, with caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and accents of leather and baking spices on the front and back end, respectively. The label art is nicely executed, which is critical for a release like this one. Considering the proof was dialed back from the first release and the bottle count increased nearly 50%, this makes a case that there is enough interest for unique one-off releases like this one, but the target audience is also more mainstream than enthusiast-driven. At $40, this comes across as a must-buy for anyone with a shared connection between the Dragon Con Convention and bourbon as a whole. Likewise, without that connection, there really isn’t a reason to seek this one out.