I don’t think Nick Offerman nor Lagavulin need any introduction. Both are phenomenal and bring joy to the world in their own ways. So when I read about them combining efforts to create the Lagavulin Offerman Edition Aged 11 Years a smile spread across my face. A smile bigger than the one I had after the birth of my first kid… or at least bigger than the one I imagine I’d have after the birth of a kid. I don’t have kids.
In fact, I don’t want kids. Haven’t since I was in my 20s and now almost 40 I still don’t. Which makes the comparison kind of… off. Because if I did have a kid at this point I think it would be a more grimace than grin in the delivery room. Ok, scratch all of that. I grinned bigger than when I first laid eyes on the Birdie’s Bacon Breakfast Sandwich which was a grin that nearly broke my face. Now that, that’s a grin to contend with.
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Aged 11 Years Review: Details and Tasting Notes
Carrying the signature Lagavulin Islay single malt peatiness with sweet berry and orchard fruit notes, this Scotch whisky is for those who adore Lagavulin’s patented smoky flavour and the patience required to masterfully distil a single malt is what they told me to say, but I would rather just tell you that I am giggling with delight at the notion of people enjoying this limited edition Scotch.
Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)
Region: Islay, Scotland
Distiller: Lagavulin
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Age: 11 years
ABV: 46%
Price: $90
Tasting Notes
EYE
Copper
NOSE
Smoke, vanilla fondant, apples, pears, citrus, malty sweetness with a touch of caramel and leather.
PALATE
Smoke, caramel, vanilla, orchard fruit, citrus fruit, roasted nuts, malty sweetness and a touch of leather and spice.
FINISH
Long -> Smoke, dessert sweetness and malty briny notes.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great balance, med-full body and a soft velvety feel.
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Aged 11 Years Review: Overall and Score
Not your typical Lagavulin, it’s a bit of a twist on what I’m used to. The Aroma doesn’t have the smoked meat profile and is instead carries a fruitier and sweeter nature; Palate is a tad briny but continues the fruity theme; Finish hits like a smoked dessert.
The sweet is balanced with the peat and while it’s not that brooding, meaty, primal heaviness you get in the Lagavulin 16, the Lagavulin Offerman Edition Aged 11 Years is still a heavy wonderful whisky. It’s a nice complex whisky that brings together fruity, smoky, briny and malty notes like a perfectly cut dovetail joint. This, of course, is all a bunch of words that, in the end, mean just two things: it’s a good whisky and you should drink it.
SCORE: 4/5
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Aged 11 Years Review $90
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Aged 11 Years Summary
Missing the smoked meat character I associate with Lagavulin, this charred fruity version of the beloved spirit is simply fantastic. It’s a delight.
Overall
- Nose
- Palate
- Finish
- BBF
User Review
( votes)( review)
My local store got a bottle of this in and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to at least seriously contemplate buying it as it was only $66 before tax. Am I glad I did! This is a very nice bottle and it leaves a fine impression if drank neat. You can certainly taste the signature “oilyness” and know that it is a Lagavulin product but the unique flavor profile is what does it. At times I found it to be very crisp even having a certain bite to it but never unpleasant or burning. I’m on the hunt for more bottles of this one especially if they are of similar price as the one I got. Very impressive offering from Lagavulin and Josh your notes are spot on!
Thanks Ignatius and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this one too. Cheers!
Not sure, please advise...
I’m fairly new to scotch, having gone through phases of drinking fine Tequilas (when I lived in CA) and Bourbons (Upon moving back to the Midwest). Over the past two years, I have received and purchased bottles of Scotch ranging from blends to single cask varieties. I was incredibly excited to find this Lagavulin Offerman Edition, as I have binge-watching Parks and Recreation during the current COVID-19 quarantine. Disappointingly, my bottle smells far more of formaldehyde than peat, and lacks any hint of fruit. It is one of the farthest things from smooth that I have ever sipped. I don’t want to badmouth this whisky (yet), as I’m wondering if this bottle could be “off”. I have run into an “off” bottle once before with a $300 bottle of Herradura Suprema Tequila, where it tasted completely different than any other bottle or glass that I had ever enjoyed. Can you help me out here? Am I missing something with the complexity of this scotch, or could it just be a poor example? Any tips or ideas?
Typically an off bottle has bit of a wet cardboard thing going on when cork rot gets to it. Formaldehyde is an odd one for it to smell like for sure…
Your description states Ex-Bourbon but according to descriptions on other sites, this whisky was matured in a combination of American Oak (presumably Ex-Bourbon) AND rejuvenated American oak casks which have been recharred and have been seasoned in sherry! A lot of Lagavulin expressions over the past year or so have been using these rejuvenated casks. To be more specific, they are STR casks, a rejuvenating process developed by the late and great Dr Jim Swan. STR stood for Shaved/Toasted/Re-Charred but I’ve seen a slightly modified definition used in distilleries “Shaved/Toasted or Charred/Re-Seasoned, that is with either sherry or wine.
American Oak is definitely ex-Bourbon, they’re not using virgin casks, it would take on a whole other profile if it did :)
You description is spot on! I grabbed a bottle when I saw it and had to have a sample that night. It was good enough I went back to have a spare for later on. I have allowed it to set for about 2 weeks now & has really opened up a bit more. Still not as smoked-meat heavy as the 16, and not as sweet/rich (PX & Olo sherry wise) as the Distiller’s Edition, but has a nice vanilla/fruit tone to it. Even if the rejuvenated cask has added to this or not.
Aside from that, that was a very well done product. It set’s itself aside from the standard release, but brings another option if you don’t want a lot of sherry influence or youthfulness of the 8yr as well…….it was a B+ bordering an A in my book, but we’ll see if time/air help it or makes it go away.
Loved reading this, thanks for sharing it Ryan. Cheers!
I’m glad I bought a bottle of this. It could have turned into a complete celebrity goof but it didn’t. Hats off to Lagavulin.
Totally, cheers Dave!