UPDATED: APR 28, 2023 2018 bottle at Tørst, 2oz for only $12! Undetermined clarity. Ring of tan bubbles. Smells rich, bourbon (salt, char, peppery) and port (strong, dry, moderately acidic grape, chalk). Maybe the port wins out, even. But bourbon not far behind. Stout character is full of deep chocolate, light caramel and vanilla. Plenty of raisin and prune, no alcohol. Soft, almost juicy sweet, wow...that's wild. Succulent prune, raisin, toffee, vanilla, tobacco and mega soft bourbon spice and mild grape on the finish. Again, as in aroma, the port is stronger than the bourbon. But that's fine, I think it's more interesting that way. Good attenuation, excellent malt depth. Well-rounded, no alcohol. Peppery bourbon lingering.

UPDATED: JAN 9, 2019 Bottle shared at HF with Eric and Dovid. Pours black with a faint beige head that fades almost instantly. Served quite cold so needed some time to warm up...and once it did and opened up good lord...undertones of port blend amazingly with the bourbon with light vanilla, oak and booze, roasted and semi-burnt malts, dark chocolate, fudge, leather, sweet and chewy with mild carbonation, but becomes a more bitter chocolate boozy treat towards the end with a long complex finish that just keeps on going.

Bottle courtesy of Kevin (thanks!) shared with Paul and Brendan. Pours a deep blackish brown body with no head or lace. Leather on the nose. Mouthfeel is super mellow and pretty fantastic; notes of rich dark chocolate, chocolate cake dessert, bourbon, wet wood and booze.

*10/22/2013 375ml bottle poured in a Hill Farmstead oversized wine glass. A~ beautiful dark red towards the edges and dark as night in the center. Not much of a head and no lacing. S~ sweet red wine followed by dark bitter chocolate, and burnt coffee. Caramel and vanilla from the bourbon. No boozyness at all! T~ yup officially blown away! Sweet chocolate followed by amazing burnt coffee that Shaun seems to pull off so well. follows the nose with sweet red wine barrel funk and some nice oak qualities. So complex and balanced. Vanilla and caramel from the bourbon are just the icing on the cake. Wow! M~ not super carbonated but right in the range where I like a stout to be. Smooth and crazy drinkable! And I can’t stress this enough, NO BOOZYNESS! O~ just crazy all around. A seriously amazing blend! The Port barrel dominates slightly here but in a good way. I believe it takes over the boozyness from the bourbon a bit leaving all the amazing vanilla, caramel, oaky aspects. Let’s just say I wish I has a case! Yeah I know... But I can dream! Haha

Bouteille de 500 ml partagée lors d’une dégustation entre amis. Arôme: Odeur de porto avec une pointe de vanille. Apparence: La couleur est noire opaque. Présence d’un mince col beige mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de chocolat noir et de raisins avec une pointe de mélasse et de vanille. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement soyeuse. Faible effervescence en bouche. Légère présence de bourbon en arrière goût. (Rating #7323)

On site at the brewery. Poured out of the bottle with close to zero carbonation and no head. This smells ludicrously pungent, like a chocolate cake that has been doused in after dinner drinks by your drunk uncle. The initial flavor is very sweet, with the port dominating -- think of a raisin and molasses sweetness from the beer that’s accentuated by port aromas. After a few seconds, though, that sweetness fades, leaving the bourbon to come through, making your head spin like you’ve just taken a second shot of booze. Bourbon and oak flavors, with just a hint of oxidation at the end. This is one intensely flavorful beer.

375ml bottle purchased on site. Pours oily, viscous black with NO head whatsoever. Spending 4 years in barrels has done quite a number on this one. The lack of head is replaced with an interesting Marangoni effect much like that of a strong, full bodied red wine. Unique in that sense. Smells outstanding. Extremely boozy, sweet bourbon heat and port sweetness. Dark chocolate, and roast as well. Smell is overall dominated by the booze and and sweet barrels in a great way. Tastes incredible. Sweet, sweet bourbon, hot, winey port taste with a lasting taste in your cheeks similar to that of red wine. Nice roast and dark chocolate finish and aftertaste. The sweet booziness is just wonderful. Superb flavor. Very strong, labeled at 14+% and it definitely feels like it. Not a traditional full mouthfeel in the imperial stout sense but a great all around surrounded flavor. Not much carbonation but it’s truly not need in this beer. TOP NOTCH

375 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Originally reviewed 12/16/2013. Viscous black. No head. A little glass staining. Port dominates the aroma. Sweet smelling. Vanilla and oak reminiscent of bourbon. Chocolate. Bourbon blends really well with the port flavor. Vanilla, oak, and red wine. Coffee. Sweet. The slighest sharp wine flavor in the finish. Low carbonation/ It’s nearly flat. Medium heavy body. This is really tasty. Port barrels do magical things, but the bourbon really adds to it.

Bottle shared in London - picked up in a trade. Pours rich black brown with a dense, lasting foamy tan head. The nose is incredibly dynamic, with notes of burnt wood, toffee, cocoa and rich, ripe berries. Medium to heavy sweet flavor, with notes of burnt wood, dark chocolate, charred ham, alcohol, figs, chocolate, all balanced out with a bit of earthy bitterness. Full bodied, lightly chewy, with fine carbonation and silky texture. Warming finish with decadent cocoa notes, cherry, further burnt wood, creamy chocolate, dates, berries. Great balance with just moderate suggestions of alcohol kick. Wonderful confluence of toffee, chocolate and dark fruits. Superlative beer.

Bottle split at Jack The Sipper leaves for the FBI again tasting, massive thanks to the juan and only Leighton, 14/07/15. Light black topped with a moderate tan swirl. Nose is rich roast, dark fruits, spice, port notes, chocolate melting pot, dark malt. Taste comprises mellow fruit rinds, light peppery spice, chocolate, dark red berry linger, port tones. Full bodied, light oily feel, smooth, semi drying close. Xolid impy, great balance, wasn’t getting much if any bourbon ... all port strokes for this Bois.