UPDATED: AUG 20, 2023 Bottle shared by alexsdad06. Poured black color with an average frothy tan head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate to heavy barrel aged toasted dark malt aroma. Medium to abundant body with a thick smooth texture and soft carbonation. Moderate to heavy dark sweet flavor with a moderate to heavy dark sweet warming finish of medium to long duration. This is a standout beer.

UPDATED: SEP 22, 2022 Bottle, 750 ml, courtesy of Eric. Shared with him and others. Black with beige head. Chocolate and strong bourbon, some vanilla and coffee. Sweet. Full bodied. Quite thick.

UPDATED: SEP 9, 2022 Bourbon barrel aged imperial stout and Perennial’s most renowned brand after the Abraxas series; samples from a two year old bottle at BXL BeerFest. Very thin and open, mocha-beige ring for a head on a black beer with hazy deep chocolate brown edges. Intense, complex and noble bouquet of strong vanilla-scenting oak wood, old tawny port, bitter chocolate, teriyaki, cracked leather, oxidized red wine, toasted rye bread, bourbon, molasses, cooked prunes, burnt fig, ink. Sweet onset but nowhere sticky, some candied date and raisin but also a thinly sliced umami effect (teriyaki), softly carbonated with full, oily, thick and somewhat viscous mouthfeel. Layers of caramelly, bitter-chocolatey, molasses-like and roasted-walnutty mats ensue, heavy and well-balanced between sweet (initially) and bitter (further on), the latter evolving into coffee-ish roastedness without taking it into ‘ashy’ or charcoal-like territory. Complex, long finish, a touch of orange peel from the hops, drowning in thick dark bittersweet malts, hints of soy sauce and bayleaf as well as very old red wine, a drying tannic oakiness and warming, port- and evidently bourbon-like alcohol. Lovely nutty and roasty flavours linger about as well. Too bad this beer is apparently no longer produced: this is a masterpiece in its genre, a somewhat underexposed but brilliant example of classic American RIS aged in classic American bourbon barrels – a formula with roots in the nineties (first BCBS batches) but a formula which never gets old. Have a world class score.

UPDATED: JUL 9, 2022 750ml bottle. Smooth, creamy and roasty with some barrel notes, bourbon, vanilla, cocoa and chocolate. A bit one dimensional, but good.

UPDATED: JUL 8, 2022 Bottle from a friend. Black color, beige head. Bitter taste with roasted malts, bourbon, licorice, oak, nuts, dark fruits and coffee. Bitter finish with roasted malts, bourbon, licorice, oak, nuts, chocolate and dark fruits. Excellent imperial stout.

UPDATED: APR 4, 2022 Bottle. Enjoyed at my 40th / 20K Birthday celebration. Pours black with a small creamy beige head. Deep and complex nose and flavors. Bourbon, vanilla and coffee. Thanks Alex.

UPDATED: APR 2, 2022 Dolle 40 years and 20k bash. Black with a lasting off-white head. Roasted aroma with chocolate, liquorice, vanilla and a touch of booze. Sweet roasted and really complex toffee and chocolate flavour

UPDATED: DEC 19, 2021 Bottle thanks to Anthony. Pours black with small tan head. The aroma is strong roast, wood, bourbon, tobacco. Slick body, roasted malt, bourbon, chocolate, wood, chicory, nice sweetness, enjoyed this.

UPDATED: NOV 22, 2021 Pour at CLAG Brewing on 11/13/21. Darkest brown pour with no head. Aroma of malt, chocolate, tobacco and bourbon. Malty and chocolatey flavor with tobacco accents before a bourbon finish. Very hot.

UPDATED: OCT 14, 2021 750 ml bottle from the brewery, picked up by Keir - thanks! Pours a deep, dark, opaque brown with a dark tan head that settles into a ring and scattered film. Notes of vanilla, oak, roasted malts, cocoa, fudge, bourbon, marshmallow, caramel, and toffee. Medium-full bodied, with low carbonation and a sweet, warming, chewy mouthfeel. Good blend.