We conclude our celebrity and whisky week (after the Laphroaig Willem Dafoe and the Glenmorangie Harrison Ford) with a Lagavulin 11-year-old Nick Offerman 3rd edition, and we compare it to the 12-year-old Special Release 2021. Nick Offerman, as I’ve mentioned in the review of the 4th edition, is a known big fan of Lagavulin distillery. It first appeared as some kind of joke in the (brilliant and very fun) TV show Parks & Recreations, but in fact it was based on a true love for this Islay distillery. And since it’s our first Lagavulin dedicated blog post here, let’s introduce the distillery first, as we have not done it yet!
Lagavulin Distillery
Lagavulin is one of the great Islay distilleries, not because it tries to shout the loudest, but because it knows exactly how to build a powerful whisky. Its spirit is dense, smoky and coastal, with a slow, deliberate production style that gives the whisky its famous depth. Founded in 1816 on Islay’s south coast, and sat between Ardbeg and Laphroaig, Lagavulin has, like its neighbours, long been associated with peat smoke, long maturation and a rounded, weighty mouthfeel that sets it apart from many other peated malts.
The distillery’s style begins with heavily peated barley from Port Ellen Maltings, peated around 35 phenol parts per million. That peat is not just a flavour marker; it is the foundation of the whisky’s identity. Combined with peaty water from the Solan Lochs area, it gives Lagavulin the earthy, maritime character that drinkers expect from the house style.
Lagavulin’s fermentation is one of the stages that helps keep the whisky from becoming all smoke and no shape. A quite short fermentation, as it seems to be running for just 55 hours, and which still gives the wash time to develop more layered aromas before distillation begins. That is not unusually long in Scotch terms, but it is long enough to support Lagavulin’s rich, textured character.
The real signature, though, comes in the still house. Lagavulin distills very slowly, and that slow pace is one of the reasons the whisky feels so full and substantial. The distillery uses four pot stills, including large pear-shaped stills, and the stills are filled to capacity to reduce copper contact and help preserve heavier compounds. The spirit cut is wide, the lyne arms point downward, and the whole setup is designed to carry weight into the new make spirit.
Maturation then rounds everything out. Lagavulin is often matured in oak casks, with sherry influence appearing in several expressions and adding dried fruit, spice and sweetness to the smoke. The famous 16 Years Old is a strong example of the style: peaty, salty, darkly sweet and long on the finish, with the oak smoothing the edges without diluting the character.
Lagavulin 11-year-old Nick Offerman 3rd Edition (2022) Review
The Lagavulin 11-Year-Old Offerman Edition: Charred Oak Cask is the third release in the ongoing collaboration between the Islay distillery and American actor Nick Offerman. Released in late 2022, this expression was specifically designed by Offerman to be the ‘perfect pairing for a well-barked, medium-rare steak’. To achieve the desired robust flavour profile, the 11-year-old single malt was matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-red wine casks made from both American and European oak. Before filling, these casks were shaved down and then heavily re-charred to impart deep, smoky wood notes into the liquid. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV. While not explicitly advertised by the brand, European labels denote it contains artificial caramel colouring. Originally released with a suggested retail price of around $85 to $90 in the US, you can find bottles in Europe from €110, and maybe a bit less on auction.
Colour:
Deep copper (fake colour)
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with Lagavulin’s signature coastal character – briny sea salt, iodine, and thick, mossy peat smoke. However, the heavily charred casks quickly introduce deep, savoury aromas of burnt rope, roasted meat, and bitter dark chocolate. Beneath the heavy smoke lies a surprising sweetness, with notes of caramelised brown sugar, dried pineapple, and a touch of vanilla.
Palate:
Neat: The palate delivers exactly what the heavily charred casks promised: an immediate hit of intense wood smoke, dry ash, and a distinct ‘burnt’ character reminiscent of charred steak bark. This savoury intensity is balanced by a syrupy sweetness of dark chocolate, toffee candies, and a medley of baking spices like cinnamon and clove. A bright citrus note, like preserved lemon, cuts through the heavy tar and smoke mid-palate.
Finish:
The finish is long, warming, and heavily focused on the charred oak. It leaves a lingering, ashy campfire smoke in the mouth, accompanied by a drying astringency from the wood, a touch of black pepper, and a note of salted almonds.
Comments:
Despite being quite focused on the charred oak, as the cask char really imparted its mark on the liquid, this Lagavulin 11-year-old Offerman Edition #3 is really good. It balances the deep charred oak with some sweetness, citrusiness and spices. The Islay peat and smoke are there, and this keeps the Lagavulin signature. One hundred Euro and more feels a bit too much, especially when you can get the classic 16-year-old (sure, it’s just 43% ABV) for way cheaper, but this is not a rip-off either.
Rating: 7/10
Lagavulin 12-year-old Special Release (2021) Review
The Lagavulin 12-Year-Old Special Release 2021, nicknamed ‘The Lion’s Fire,’ is part of Diageo’s annual ‘Untold Legends’ Special Releases collection. Distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2021, this expression was matured exclusively in refill American oak casks. It is presented at a natural cask strength of 56.5% ABV. Uncharacteristically for many standard Diageo bottlings, but true to form for this specific high-end annual release, the 2021 Lagavulin 12 is proudly non-chill filtered and presented at its natural colour. The initial recommended release price was £125 to £130 in the UK (I paid €130 at the time for my bottle) and roughly $160 in the US. Today, as stocks have dwindled, the current lowest prices typically sit around £130 to £145 in the UK, roughly €130 to €185 in Europe, and range from $160 to $185 in the US, making it relatively affordable for a highly rated limited release.
Colour:
Pale gold.
Nose:
Neat: The nose is coastal, dry, and clean. It opens with an intense, aromatic burst of salty sea air, tarry boat ropes, and dry, mineral-driven bonfire smoke. Beneath the heavy, slightly medicinal iodine and seaweed notes lies a fragrant hint of Lapsang Souchong tea, fresh lemon zest, and a subtle sweetness reminiscent of green apples and vanilla.
With water: Adding a few drops of water brings forward an incredibly crisp, salty manzanilla sherry-like profile. The heavy, tarry elements soften into distinct notes of fresh oysters, olive oil, and mineral flints, while the citrus elements become much brighter and sweeter.
Palate:
Neat: The texture is oily and mouth-coating. It arrives surprisingly sweet, delivering notes of bready malt, salted caramel, and vanilla before quickly transitioning into an intense, growling wave of heavy peat char, robust bonfire smoke, and briny sea salt. There is a sharp, vibrant acidity from lemon peels that cuts through the smoke, followed by a spicy kick of black and chili peppers.
With water: Dilution slightly softens the heat and tempers the sharp lemon acidity, making the palate beautifully rounded. The salty-sweet balance becomes perfectly integrated, allowing deeper, earthy notes of cocoa powder, smoked oysters, and dry green oak tannins to emerge from beneath the wood smoke.
Finish:
The finish is remarkably long, hot, and slightly drying. It leaves a persistent, roaring warmth of chili pepper spice that eventually fades into a lasting memory of acrid, dry wood smoke, coastal brine, and a final, fresh squeeze of lemon juice.
Comments:
I’m so happy to have a bottle of this Lagavulin 12-year-old, as everything falls into place, there’s nothing wrong; everything is just as you want it to be. A superb, reference youngish Lagavulin. Many thanks to the refill casks that really let the spirit shine. It’s pure, it’s clean, it’s chiselled, it’s powerful, it’s perfect.