Nick Offerman Talks Launching Whisky for Father’s Day, Parks and Rec Reunion
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“This better be important, I’m having a drink with my father,” Nick Offerman says, answering an urgent phone call while sitting in a pub with his dad Ric. It’s part of a new video for his just-released whisky with Lagavulin, which just hit shelves this spring. In short, there’s a whole lot of whisky and, tragically, not nearly enough barrels for it all. That’s where Offerman and Guinness come in to save the day.
The short may remind Parks and Recreation fans of the hit series that ran on NBC until 2015 (and recently named one of Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Best Sitcoms of All Time). Offerman starred in comedy series as the whisky-loving Ron Swanson so it makes sense that he’s teaming up with Lagavulin. Except this time, it’s all for the actor’s Lagavulin Offerman Edition, a peaty bottle of Guinness cask-finished whisky that includes an illustration of Offerman himself on the label.
Courtesy Lagavulin
“It has the Lagavulin foundation,” Offerman says, summing up his newest creation, “but the cornerstone, to my way of thinking, is the Lagavulin 16. When I come in out of the snow splitting firewood, or pushing my sister’s car out of the ditch again, pour me a couple fingers of that Lagavulin 16,” he says.
“But this new Offerman Edition,” he explains, “really lends itself some vanilla notes, some chocolate notes, a little caramel in there. And then, eventually, for me, I get some orchard fruit. And so, I feel like we took a batch of Lagavulin and took it to the candy store.”
Courtesy Lagavulin
This isn’t the first time the actor has collaborated with the brand. He previously released the Lagavulin 11-Year back in 2019, and for the newest release, Offerman and his dad again got the chance to taste samples of what would turn into the Guinness Cask Finish bottle.
“I feel like we took a batch of Lagavulin and took it to the candy store.”
Offerman’s love for whisky runs deep, which has meant that, in addition to crafting his own whiskies, the actor’s created a string of unforgettable videos over the years, including his most recent clip with Ric ahead of Father’s Day. Some of the campaigns have even gone viral, like the nearly 45-minute-long holiday-favorite “Yule Log” video, where Offerman sips whisky by a roaring fire and, well, that’s about it.
“It’s one of those things [that] if something goes viral, then that’s exactly why you shouldn’t try it again, because you’re lucky if lightning struck once,” he says.
Later this month, Offerman will reunite with Parks and Rec co-star Amy Poehler to host the latest season of NBC’s Making It, streaming on Peacock.
As for anyone holding out hope for a Parks and Recreation reunion, Offerman seems like he’s open to the idea.
“Sure, I’ll do anything,” Offerman says when asked if he’d consider doing a reunion. “The thing with Parks and Rec is, nothing’s going to happen without the OK of Mike Schur, one of the two main creators of the show. And so, if he says it’s OK, whatever it is, then I’m on board because he acts with complete integrity.
“That was seven of the most amazing years of my life, and all those people are so funny. I would do anything to get to play with them again.”
“He’s never going to do anything unless he thinks it’s a good idea for the show, and for the fans and for the characters.” Offerman continues. “Anything he comes up with, I’ll jump. He’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever gotten to work with. And that was seven of the most amazing years of my life, and all those people are so funny. I would do anything to get to play with them again.”
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