The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Douglas Fraser
Grade: B
Lagavulin 11 Year Old Nick Offerman Edition
(Credit: Diageo)
Actor and comedian Nick Offerman has been promoting Lagavulin single malt for some years now. One of his earliest mentions of Lagavulin 16 was in the show Parks and Recreation. Over the years he has done various acts to promote Lagavulin, such as drinking the Scotch in front of a fireplace for 45 minutes without speaking, or being painted gold and acting as a statue in front of a crowd with a dram in his hands. He has also produced several short promotional videos that will make you chuckle.
In 2019, Nick Offerman and Lagavulin’s distillery manager Colin Gordon partnered together to bring the world a limited edition whiskey that emphasizes the Lagavulin flavor profiles. Thus, the distillery released the limited edition 11 year old Offerman Edition. The box looks like wood, and has a very stoic portrait of Nick on the front. On the back, the spirit is described in Mr. Offerman’s own words detailing how wonderfully smoky and sweet the nectar is.
“I have traveled the world and sampled many attempts at pleasing nectars, but it is solely this distillation of Islay; a tiny, charismatic Scottish isle, that has claimed my palate.” — Nick Offerman
The Scotch
Lagavulin 11 Offerman Edition has all the profiles that fit the Lagavulin line. Bottled at 46% ABV, Offerman says it is the perfect alcohol content. After tasting it both straight and with a little water, I preferred the 11 year old a little watered down. It brought out more sweetness which led to a better balance with the smoke and spice. When tasted neat, without water, I found my mouth full of a cigarette like aftertaste which I did not enjoy but disappears when the water was added.
Color: Strong Gold
Nose: Green apple, charred wood, vanilla, crème brulee, seaweed/wet grass, smoky, and saltwater.
Palate: Charred oak, smoke, peat, spicy/peppery, tobacco, slated caramel, and vanilla.
Finish: Long with smoke, spicy, subtle vanilla sweetness, and some leathery notes.
With water added, the salty caramel becomes more robust with honey and butterscotch sweetness arising and the finish is slightly shorter.
The Price
Lagavulin 11 Offerman Edition can be found for around $115.
