Nick Offerman debuts rum cask-finished Lagavulin

Diageo-owned Lagavulin and actor Nick Offerman have released an 11-year-old single malt matured in Caribbean rum casks.

The new Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Aged 11 Years is the fourth whisky to be launched as part of the Diageo-owned brand’s ongoing partnership with Parks and Recreation star Offerman, which began in 2014.

The latest expression is inspired by Offerman’s ‘deep-seated affinity for maritime adventure’ and contains tasting notes from the Caribbean – a region close to the actor’s heart.

The single malt was aged for 11 years in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, then finished for over eight months in ex-Caribbean rum casks.

The expression is said to balance combine the citrusy, maritime flavour influence of rum, anchored by Lagavulin’s home on Islay, known for its peaty, smoky whiskies.

It offers flavours of lemon meringue, honey, vanilla, toffee, golden cinnamon and a maritime brine.

“Labouring together with Lagavulin blending master Stuart Morrison, we have landed upon our most delicious, exotic liquid yet,” Offerman said. “Now to silence the scandal-mongers.

“There have been many accusations levelled against me regarding my desire to concoct the perfect dram to sit and sip whilst viewing my favourite mermaid musicals, so that I might feel even more fully like a Scottish-Caribbean underwater siren princess.

“To these scurrilous abusers I have only this to say: what I do in my own time, whether under the sea or above it, is nobody’s business but my own. Slàinte mhath.”

The design of the bottle also depicts a journey through the Caribbean.

The whisky is recommended served neat, over ice or alongside a dessert.

It is priced at US$89.99 and available to buy in the US, the UK, Germany, China, Taiwan, Australia and from the Lagavulin Distillery in Scotland.

To kick off the launch, the actor and Lagavulin have revealed their latest My Tales of Whisky video (see below), which follows Offerman on a sailing adventure before ending on the grounds of the Islay distillery.

This Friday (10 May), Los Angeles residents (aged 21 and over) are invited to a multi-sensory installation in Venice Beach to celebrate the new whisky. The pop-up, located at 57 Windward Avenue, will transport visitors to the Caribbean and Scottish Isles. The event is invite-only and bookings can be made for free on AnyRoad.

Offerman has previously created a trio of 11-year-old single malts with Lagavulin, including an expression matured in heavily re-charred barrels, designed to be paired with steak, and a whisky finished in Guinness beer casks.

The inaugural Lagavulin Offerman Edition Aged 11 Years was released in October 2019.