The collaboration between Islay’s Lagavulin and Nick Offerman continues with the duo’s third launch: Lagavulin Offerman Version: Charred Oak Cask.
This 11 12 months previous bottling was designed to pair particularly with steak and is made be growing older the spirit in American and European oak casks which are shaved down after which closely re-charred, actually pouring on the wooden affect. It is a a lot totally different whisky than final 12 months’s bottling — however I believe Lagavulin followers will discover it extra instantly acquainted than the 2021. Let’s dive in.
As anticipated, notes of chimney smoke waft instantly from the glass as soon as it’s poured, although after it blows off, a fruitier word turns into evident, impregnating the aromatics with some apple and spice components. It’s much less maritime than the standard Lagavulin expression, however not removed from the middle of the distillery’s normal subject dartboard. Initially flippantly candy on the palate, notes of baked apples give method shortly to a reprise of peat, right here showcasing extra salty sea spray — however not likely a lot in the way in which of iodine or medicinal notes. Chewy and sooty, it’s a extra brash exploration of smokiness that comes throughout as considerably much less advanced than lots of Lagavulin’s different expressions.
The end finds a cookie-like sweetness pairing with burnt toast and ashy fire embers, once more fairly smoky however not overtly Islay-centric, although it’s shut sufficient for presidency work. All advised, I really feel like this launch takes basic Lagavulin and dials again a few of its extra evocative and nuanced components, although that really makes for a extra highly effective general manufacturing that does certainly hold the give attention to smokiness. If Offerman/Lagavulin actually did wish to create their “smokiest whisky ever,” I believe they’ve succeeded — although it’s not so highly effective as to bowl you over the way in which, say, a glass of Octomore can. If you wish to expertise Lagavulin stripped right down to its fundamentals, this makes for an attention-grabbing expertise, although I don’t suppose will probably be anybody’s favourite model of the whisky.
92 proof.
B+ / $80 / malts.com [BUY IT NOW FROM DRIZLY] [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS]
Lagavulin 11 Years Outdated Offerman Version Charred Oak Cask 2022
$80
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