Lagavulin 11 Year Old Offerman Edition Charred Oak Cask

Style: Scotch

Sold by: Lagavulin Distilling

Made by: Lagavulin Distilling

Mashbill: (C/R/B/W) 0/0/100/0

Proof: 92

Color: Pale Gold

Paid: 100

Nick Offerman, you glorious bastard.  To take the (my) holy grail of whiskey and make it, dare I say, better?  Gaining prominence as the libation of choice for Mr. Ron Swanson (parks and Recreation fame), Nick parlayed this expression into a namesake varietal.  And for that, he shall be ever immortalized as the coolest mother f’er ever.  Check out “Paddle your own canoe” for some good old-fashioned humor.

Nose: Glorious.  Like it was made for steak, which is was.  The peat is there, but in the typical Lagavulin complimentary way, not in a Laphroaig punch-you-in-the-face way.  Dark caramel, apple, peach, gingerbread, raisin.  Folks, THIS is whiskey!  It smells so damn good.

Palate: Sweet soot, baked apples, old pear, malty, leather, maybe a hint of strong coffee.  This is so complex and delicious you can’t possibly find all the flavors.  And while the peat is there, it plays so well with each of the other notes, holding them up to shine. 

Finish: Briny, mulled fruit cocktail, marshmallow.  It lingers for days.  Seriously.  Inevitably I will notice a hint of this on my breath a day later.  The gift that keeps on giving!   

Final note:  Islay scotch is such a beautiful creature.  For those of you put off by peat and smoke, I get it, don’t shy away from scotch as most have no peat at all.  But if you do appreciate a good peaty whiskey, this is a top end selection.  Ardbeg and Laphroaig are good as well, but I would always put my money on Lagavulin.