This is for those of you Parks & Rec fans out there. A running theme in the sitcom was the Ron Swanson’s love of Lagavulin single malt. Well, Ron’s a lucky man.

Ron Swanson’s emotional pilgrimage to Lagavulin Distillery (Image Source: Parks and Recreation, Season 6, Episode 2)

Nick Offerman in 2014 found himself appointed the spokesman for Lagavulin Distillery after the Scots realised his character’s strong affinity for their single malt.

Taking their collaboration one step further, in 2019, Ron Swanson received his own Lagavulin expression to brag about: the 11 Year Old Offerman Edition which boasts his portrait, signature and personal quote: “I have traveled the world and sampled many attempts at pleasing nectars, but it is solely this distillation of Islay; a tiny, charismatic Scottish isle, that has claimed my palate. Yea, and my heart into the bargain.”

Offerman himself worked with Lagavulin to hand pick the liquid, bottle and packaging.

Lagavulin Offerman Edition 11 Years Old, 2019 Release (Image Source: Lagavulin Distillery)

The 2019 edition was aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon casks.

 Lagavulin Offerman Edition 11 Years Old – Guinness cask finish, 2021 Release (Image Source: Whiskynotes)

Rumour has it that the Offerman Edition is returning in 2021- and slightly fancier this time. It has been additionally finished for five months in barrels that previously held Guinness beer.

Not much else is disclosed about this new release. Save for the Guinness cask finish, all other stats are more or less the same as the 2019 edition. It is 46% ABV, 11 Years Old and aged in ex-Bourbon casks.

We have received word that the taste is expected to be as follows:

Nose: Barbecue smoke, fresh sea grass, roasted citrus, baked apricots.

Palate: Campfire, brine, salted caramels, burnt molasses, liquorice, apple pie, black pepper.

Finish: Cognac, hops and more smoke.

For all you uncles and aunties sitting at a local coffeeshop up till 2am dunking Guinness with your pals, Lagavulin has got you covered. From our experience with beer/stout cask finishes, this could get quite sweet and hoppy. If all goes well, you should get a caramel malt with a slight herbaceous tang.

It would be launched in the USA on St Patrick’s Day (17 March). This is a USA-exclusive limited release. We shall see about whether it becomes available to us too.

@charsiucharlie