From Dec 2007 I got this bottle as an extra in a trade with Hoppymeal. Thanks Derek! It pours from 12oz bottle a pitch black with a very impressive 2 finger head of tannish foam. It looks very inviting. The smell is nice. I get caramel and roasted malt, fruit, chocolate, a bit of coffee. If it tastes as good as it smells, I'm gonna like this one. The taste...well, this isn't a timid version of the style, that's for sure. Big roasted malt...no, more like burnt malt greets my taste buds right off the bat. Next thing I notice is a very tasty, but not overdone, coffee flavour along with some hot cocoa bitterness, grain, and boy, it has a great, silky smooth mouthfeel to it. I like! The low carbonation really makes the flavours stand out and it finishes with a tasty semi sweet chocolate kick. And as far as the 9%abv goes, just a touch of warming after the swallow? Wow. Dang this is sooo good and I find it dangerously drinkable. I don't think there's a brewer out there who wouldn't be proud to claim this RIS as their own. My hat's off to the brewers at Leinenkugel because this is some seriously good sh*t! Pardon my French. Thanks again to Derek for including this in our trade!

Pours jet black with thick khaki head that leaves lacing. Smoky cocoa and coffee scent. Taste is coffee, dark chocolate, dark malts, with barely perceptible booze taste. Heavy body. Mildly bitter chocolate aftertaste. Quality imperial stout.

Rich inky black pour with a Lacey, sticky tan head. Rich sweet dark chocolaty nose with a gentle bit of oak and char and brown sugar. Rich deep dark malty flavor with brown sugary and dark chocolate flavors, full, slightly boozy and tastes almost like it was Barrel Aged. Rich and amazing.

Bottle; pours black with a thin ring of mocha colored foam; roasted malt aroma with dark fruits, chocolate, and licorice; taste has some roasty bitterness, chocolate, dark fruits, and a hint of coffee; finish is roasty and bitter; unexpectedly good for a Leinenkugel beer

I was actually not going to rate this, but it’s too good not to. Huge pour, huge head, viscous, impressive. Smoke nose, dirty choco malt flavor, alcohol hidden but potent. Everything you’d want from an RIS is right here. Malt, sweet, burnt, bigly, sticky, sweet, burnt, all of it. ~~~~~~~~ No idea how this ended up in my fridge but I’m happy it did.

UPDATED: MAY 26, 2016 2015 bottle. Smells really, really good right off the bat...mostly chocolate and coffee. Pours thin, but a nice dark, near black with a dark frothy head. Sweet up front with pleasant bitter undertones. Gets better as it warms. This is a well put together, classic Russian imperial stout. I like it a lot.

Bottle - Sweet toffee and light chocolate. Deep black with a light brown head. Sweet bitter molasses, nice bitterness and hops. A bit flowery and pretty nice,

Bottle from The Beer Junction, Seattle; vintage 2015
Black color, thin brown head. The aroma has a lot of leather and liquorice, hint of apples, mushroom. Lean but bold body; moderate sweetness, with intense molasses and chocolate flavor, salty, and finally roasted malts.
Delicious.

2010 bottle. Black, 2 finger tan head. Smells of chocolate and booze. Chocolate, red fruit, stone fruit in the flavor. Medium thick. Quite a nice beer.

Good, enjoyable RIS. Nothing too unique or standout, but a traditional RIS executed very well. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone