Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Munster, Indiana USA

2009 bottle. Thanks Kegbear. What a way to start my St. Patrick’s day drinking. I have been waiting to try this beer for years. Literally. I am very excited by its heavenly aroma. SO good. The first taste is definite chocolate. Like walking into Willa Wonkas living room. Fantastic. The chocolate fades into some fruit. Almost wine but sweet. The aftertaste is some alcohol that you feel in your throat for awhile. Incredible

This 2007 bottle pours a thick, deep black body with a very thin but lasting brown head. Flavors include chocolate, roasted coffee, dark fruits like prunes and raisins, and some alcohol warmth. Lives up to the hype.

First off I have to thank fata2683 for hooking me up with this awesome brew. Pours a pitch black color much like oil. Aroma is of heavy malts, plums, molasses, bitter sweet cocoa, and dried cherries. Flavor is extremely smooth which includes matls, cocoa, molasses, dried fruit, and some honey. Leaves a nice chocolaty malt finish. I am priveledge to have had this one. Thanks again Keith.

22oz, white wax bomber, from the three floyds brewery on DLD ’09. so i figured rating #500 deserved to be the beer i drove 2000+ miles, round trip, to obtain and the day that truly initiated me as a true beer geek. and here we go...pours a ridiculously thick, oily, jet black with a thin, bubbly dark cocoa head and oily lacing. aroma is, well, unbelievable with massive roasted malts, burnt espresso beans, blackstrap molasses, and dark chocolate with notes of rum-soaked raisins, figs, and prunes and hints of black licorice, cigar ash, smoked wood, toffee, and freshly shelled pecans. i honestly smelled this one for at least 10 minutes before taking a sip because it’s so damn complex. and holy hell, what a first sip it was. flavor is sublime, just perfect, with immense roasted malts, dark, brandied fruit notes of cherry, raisin, and fig, and earth up front that transition into the most sublime flavors of dark chocolate, toffee candy, black coffee, vanilla, smoke, and a touch of bourbon with a massive, relentless roasty finish. palate is beyond full bodied but slick and smooth, i’m going to have no problem crushing to bomber, with no trace of the 13% aside from a pleasant warming sensation through the belly. overall, this is the brew that all other imperial stouts should be judged by. i can’t believe i thought about trading my last bottle...not a chance. bravo, three floyds. bravo! oh, and the proclaimers fucking rock!

Bottle (2009 White Wax). The Dark Lord has arrived! Pours an unforgiving black with a tiny dark brown head that retreated to a handful of bubbles in the glass. This beast even reveals some legs...massive stuff! Aroma is crazy...heaps of soy sauce and molasses off the first whiff, but does mellow out and introduces sweetened dark fruits, honey, chocolate and boozy notes. The flavour is full on - extremely viscous and almost syrup like. The honey character smooths this out slightly but regardless it’s definitely a sipper. I found the sweetness is too much and definitely lacked drinkability. The finish is alcoholic with very low bitterness. Having said that I was intrigued by the complexity of the Impy and can appreciate the craftsmanship - it’s a huge beer. Big thanks to Jase for hauling this one back to Oz. Cheers mate!

Finally get to try this beast. White wax. Pours with light head though is dark as night. Nose is all alcohol, dark chocolate, soy and honey. In the mouth it is brutally upfront. Dark fruit, molasses, honey, and roast vie with eath other through the thick, viscouse body. Kind of like a mead/imperial stout hybrid - it’s about as full on as it gets. A bomber would be difficult to finish, but sharing between three was just about perfect. A sipper of the highest quality. Would I line up for it once a year? Yeah, but more so for the event than the actual beer. Still a great event beer. Tanks to the volcanicbeat for bringing this back from Japan.

2008 Vintage. A: The pour on this beer is thick and black with a finger or so of dark brown head. S: Aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, and surprisingly, raisins. There are also some hints of licorice and perhaps some other dark stone fruits such as plums. T: This is certainly a sweeter RIS than I am used to. Solid chocolate, roasted malt, and chocolate flavors. But, the most striking feature (once again) is the sweetness of the dark fruits, especially raisins. M: As you would expect, the body is fantastic on this. Very full, chewy, and thick. D: This is a tasty beer, but one that you should definitely take your time with. The alcohol is hidden well in the flavors, but it will catch up to you.

09 vintage courtesy of moejuck. black pour with a thick brown head that fades a lil too fast. aroma and flovor both have lots of roast, smoke, peat, bacon, and a tinge of heat and hops. nice low carb on the palate, thick, rich and creamy with a syrupy mouthfeel. meaty and chewy, warming and pleasent all the way through.