Review of The Lagavulin 11-Year Offerman Edition Collection: Original, Rum Cask, Charred Oak, and Guinness Cask Finishes

 

“Miles and miles of peat bog in the west of the island provide the raw material which imbues the barley with that distinct smoky flavour. Not to mention the rich peaty water that runs down the brown burn from the Solan Lochs and into the distillery. In case you haven’t figured it out, the smoky, peated Lagavulin is seen as the ultimate expression of this region.” - Diageo

 

In 1816, John Johnstone founded the first legal distillery at Lagavulin. There were many illicit ones prior, dating to at least 1742. Then, in 1817, a second distillery called Ardmore (no relation to the distillery that exists today) was built by Archibald Campbell. Ardmore went silent in 1821, and Johnstone purchased it in 1825. He ran them both, but in 1835, Ardmore was shuttered. A year later, Johnstone passed away, and Alexander Graham, a spirits merchant, purchased Lagavulin. Ardmore and Lagavulin merged operations under the name Lagavulin.

 

Graham’s son, Walter, was in charge until he left in 1848 to head up the Laphroaig Distillery. In 1852, Walter’s brother, John Crawford Graham, assumed control. Then, in 1862, it changed hands again, this time to James Logan Mackie.  

 

In 1878, James hired his nephew Peter. James passed away in 1889, and Peter took the helm, forming Mackie & Co. 

 

Here’s where things get interesting. In 1908, Peter got his panties in a bunch and built another distillery called Malt Mill. Malt Mill was constructed as a replica of Laphroaig’s distillery. His goal was to duplicate Laphroaig’s whisky. He failed, but Laphroaig sued anyway. The court dismissed Laphroaig’s allegations since Lagavulin utilized a different water source and peat than what Laphroaig used.

 

Peter died in 1924, and Mackie & Co. changed its name to White Horse Distillers. Buchanan Dewar Ltd then acquired it, and in 1927, Buchanan Dewar Ltd merged with Distillers Company Limited, which eventually became Diageo.

 

Today, we’re going to explore the Lagavulin 11-Year-Old Offerman Edition. It isn’t just one whisky; there are currently four installments.

 

But wait, who, or what, is Offerman? That would be Nick Offerman, an accomplished writer, actor, comedian, woodworker, and adventurer. Nick is a massive fan of Lagavulin, and the two have collaborated before.

 

Getting back on track, the 11-Year-Old Offerman Edition comprises four single malt Scotch whiskies: the original, Charred Oak Cask Finish, Caribbean Rum Cask Finish, and Guinness Cask Finish.

 

These whiskies share some commonalities: They’re all single-malt, peated Scotches aged 11 years and bottled at 46% ABV (92°).

 

I acquired these sample bottles from a friend who invited me to #DrinkCurious and review them. Let’s get to that!

 

11-Year-Old Offerman Edition (Original)

 

 

• Released: 2019
• Price: $79.99

Cooperage: A combination of ex-Bourbon barrels and recharred Bourbon barrels.

 

Appearance: In my Glencairn glass, this whisky looked like liquid bronze. It formed a medium rim that fought hard to let go. Eventually, very slow, thick droplets escaped.

 

Nose: Oh, the peaty goodness made its presence known! The aroma was smoky, yet it was easy to identify vanilla, pineapples, leather, and apples. Inside my mouth, the air tasted of torched vanilla.

 

Palate: The thin texture washed easily across my palate. At the front, I found smoky peat, vanilla, and orange zest. The middle had notes of tobacco, leather, and apples. The back included clove, nutmeg, and pepper.

 

Finish: I timed the duration at 1:58, classifying it as a long finish. Tobacco, smoky (almost ashy) peat, leather, clove, and pepper remained.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This is my first introduction to Lagavulin Offerman Edition, and so far, I’m impressed. It was a delightful pour that provided plenty of depth and flavors. While the smoky peat bolted out the door and cycled back on the finish, it wasn’t dominating and allowed other flavors to permeate. For $80.00, this is a bargain and deserves my Bottle rating.

 

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11-Year-Old Offerman Edition Caribbean Rum Finish

 

 

• Released: 2024
• Price: $89.99

Cooperage: Ex-Bourbon barrels, ex-sherry casks, then an 8-month finish in Caribbean rum casks

 

Appearance: This version was a bright golden liquid. A thin rim released thick, syrupy tears.

 

Nose: I could smell the rum's influence as I poured this whisky into my Glencairn glass. The peat had a smoked meat quality; brown sugar, grilled pineapple, lemon zest, and vanilla were also present. Drawing the air through my lips exposed me to bold vanilla and molasses.

 

Palate: A medium-weight, creamy mouthfeel led to tastes of sweet vanilla, salted caramel, and smoky peat. At mid-palate, I found lemon zest, cinnamon, and pears. The back included seaweed, black pepper, and clove.

 

Finish: The very long finish clocked in at 2:14. There was a back-and-forth struggle between salted caramel, maritime brine, smoky peat, and clove.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The Caribbean Rum Cask Finish was a sweet, spicy, smoky, and briny experience. It truly hit all points of the flavor spectrum. I’ll admit the spicy aspect caught me off guard; I planned on sweet and smoky. Briny is a quality that many Islay whiskies possess. It is well worth the investment, and I’m happy to convey my Bottle rating.  

 

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11-Year-Old Offerman Edition Charred Oak Cask Finish

 

 

• Released: 2022
• Price: $79.99

Cooperage: Fully aged in heavily charred ex-Bourbon barrels and ex-red wine casks

 

Appearance: Inside my Glencairn glass, the Charred Oak Cask Finish whisky looked like tarnished gold. A thicker rim jettisoned lightning-fast, thick tears.  

 

Nose: Similar to the Caribbean Cask Finish, the aroma was reminiscent of smoked meats, yet even more so. The air was salty, and what I could pull beneath included plums, pears, old leather, and raisins. As I drew the air through my lips, I found orange peel.

 

Palate: As the whisky rolled past my lips and across my tongue, I noticed an almost weightless mouthfeel. Dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and leather commanded my attention. Next came mocha and smoke. Vanilla, toffee, and oak hit the back of my palate.

 

Finish: The medium finish lasted 1:10. Mocha, leather, barrel char, and smoke rounded things out.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: The Charred Oak Cask Finish was unusual. Yes, it had a smokiness, but that was more charcoal than anything else. Notably missing was that classic Lagavulin peatiness. It is as if this incarnation is the anti-Lagavulin Lagavulin. I enjoyed the flavors but was looking forward to a peaty Scotch. Charred Oak Cask Finish should appeal to Bourbon drinkers; perhaps this is a gateway Islay Scotch for them? I think it deserves my Bar rating.

 

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11-Year-Old Offerman Edition Guinness Cask Finish

 

 

• Released: 2021
• Price: $79.99

Cooperage: Ex-Bourbon barrels, ex-sherry casks, then a 3-month finish in former Guinness beer casks

 

Appearance: This version of the Offerman Edition appeared in my glass as yellow gold. It created a massive rim that tightly held back thin tears.

 

Nose: I initially thought there was something wrong with this whisky. The peat was evident, but there was that smelled like spoiled fruits. As such, I let it sit for another ten minutes. I found brine, peat, baked pears, chocolate, and vanilla this time. I inhaled the vapor and tasted apples.

 

Palate: The Guinness Cask Finish featured a thin, slightly oily mouthfeel. Flavors of vanilla, milk chocolate, and salted caramel were on the front of my palate. Midway through, I encountered orange rind, nutmeg, and toffee. A subtle smoky peat, black pepper, and coffee were on the back.

 

Finish: I timed the finish at 1:29, making it medium-long in duration. Mocha, black pepper, mild peat, orange rind, and salted caramel remained.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Despite how muted the smoky peat was from start to finish, it enhanced the other flavors rather than getting lost in the crowd. The Guinness Cask Finish is lovely, and I say that as someone who does not like beer of any variety. Of the four, it is probably the easiest sipper and provides quite the bang for the buck. Anything lower than a Bottle rating would be unfair.  

 

Final Thoughts: Barrel finishes are nothing new, yet I was impressed with how different each expression was, especially as it pertained to that iconic Lagavulin peat. It was helpful to have the unfinished whisky as a baseline.

If you had asked me before I could taste anything in this collection, I would have bet on Rum Cask, Charred Oak, Original, and Guinness. As it turned out, the Original was my favorite. Next in line was the Guinness Cask, then the Rum Cask, with the Charred Oak bringing up the rear. I love that I was wrong on all counts.

 

Overall, I’m impressed with how well Nick Offerman worked with Lagavulin. Kudos to them both. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.