Lagavulin Offerman Edition Caribbean Rum Cask Finish 11Yr Single Malt Scotch

The Lagavulin Offerman Edition is a rarity in the world of celebrity-backed spirits, offering a surprising depth and appeal to whiskey aficionados—especially considering it comes from Diageo. Given its 46% ABV, and presumably non-chill filtered with no added coloring, it feels like Nick Offerman might have had a direct hand in ensuring it would satisfy true enthusiasts. After thoroughly enjoying the previous releases (especially the charred oak cask version), I’m curious to see if this rum-finished edition can live up to the high bar set by its predecessors.

 

Much like the other spirits in Lagavulin’s line, the liquid is a beautiful rich golden color in the glass. It’s almost like a Caribbean rum. But while it might look like a rum, the aroma coming off the glass will definitely let you know what you’re dealing with: peat smoke is the first note I’m getting, but while it is clear and present it isn’t quite as loud as it is in other versions of Lagavulin. Backing that up is some of that slate or sea salt, adding to that idea that you’re standing on a beach in Scotland. What’s different here is a little bit of sweetness that lingers in the background, a hint of sugar like you’d normally see with a rum combined with some minor notes of banana and pineapple.

 

Giving the whisky a proper taste, it starts out surprisingly sweet with some flavors of brown sugar and vanilla combined with a hint of banana and vanilla. As the flavor develops, it seems like that brown sugar gets progressively more charred, with the peat smoke becoming increasingly more prominent. Even though this is still a smoky spirit, it never gets to quite the same level as you’d expect with other Lagavulin spirits. Instead, it remains an enjoyable contributor instead of taking over like you might expect.

 

The finish feels like a mellow evening sitting on a boat watching the sun go down — warm, sweet, and slightly smoky. As if you’re sipping a nicely aged rum and smoking a full bodied cigar, with all of the flavors are nicely balanced and enjoyable.