Lagavulin 11 Year Old Offerman Edition
Spicy, Maritime, Costal2022-09-13
The special aspect of this limited and meanwhile highly sought-after bottling among collectors is a four-month finish in Guinness casks. The goal is to enhance the Scotch with the spicy stout-beer flavours.
Sad fact: Instead of being made in Ireland, Guinness barrels come from Maryland in the USA and are transported to Scotland by ship. A horrible eco-footprint.
Smell
The 11-year-old bottling opens malty-sweet and with aromas of smoked paprika, cinnamon, pear and mint. Of course, we also find the typical Lagavulin charred oak wood.
Taste
Peaty-sweet and massively dry, the Lagavulin tastes less heavy than the nose would have us expect. We are encountered with a dryness that makes us think of baking cocoa and coffee powder. Characterised by cereal aromas, the Scotch is very soft and well balanced - perhaps too soft for a Lagavulin? We perceive the Guinness cask with roasted malt aromas. Unfortunately, only in nuances.
Finish
The finish is dry and long with a fair amount of peat smoke, as we would expect from a Lagavulin.
Conclusion
The Lagavulin 11 years Offerman Edition is an experiment with Guinness casks, which we quite like. Admittedly, the nose is more exciting here than the very smooth taste. Certainly, the Islay malt is suitable as a collector's item and exciting for Lagavulin fans. We would rather go for the Lagavulin 16, which is both cheaper and in a higher class in terms of taste.