4.9 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20
Bottle the day of the release. Wow! This is like eating a chocolate caramel truffel dipped in bourbon. The aroma is heaven with lots of vanilla. When cold I got sweet cherry, but this faded as it warmed. Creamy texture with a wonderful bourbon finish. This is a sipper for sure.
4.8 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20
Rate beer rating #1000 and a damn worthy brew at that: 750 ml bottle from the brewery. Deep burgundy color, held up to a flashlight, with a medium, fading light brown head. Aroma is strong vanilla, a little alcohol and a touch of wood. Flavor starts dark chocolate followed by some bourbon, vanilla and oak with a hint of lightly toasted coconut and a long dry strong black coffee bitter finish. Full body is smooth and creamy with moderate carbonation. Yahoo…AleSmith rocks!
4.9 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 20/20
UPDATED: MAR 27, 2009 Bottle from today’s release. Dark brown with a small fizzy brown head. Huge bourbon, vanilla, chocolate and oak aroma. Velvety palate with a mild brightness. Chocolate, bourbon, and vanilla upfront followed by a hazel nut and cereal taste and finishing with a nice roasty oakiness. Seriously boozy and damn good. Excellent.
4.7 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20
UPDATED: JUL 17, 2009 Best beer I have ever tasted. Bottle at Holiday Alesmith tasting. Bottle was of the batch not yet released. Black in the glass. Coffee, toffee, chocolate, bourbon nose. Vanilla. Tastes malty and chocolate like a maltball. Light and fresh feeling in the mouth. Those people in my group put down their glasses and clapped.
Rerate* Black with a small tan head that dissipates leisurely to lace. Nose is subtle booze and chocolate. Taste is huge and complex. Warm full boozyness first. The sharp whiskey bitterness lasts after the flavor is gone. Flavors include vanilla, molasses, malt and smooth alcohol.
4.6 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 19/20
UPDATED: DEC 22, 2008 2007 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Porter Edition. Keg sample at the brewery. Thank you Peter and Jessica for this special treat. Huge, complex nose with lots of caramel and toasted grain along with a lot of boozey Bourbon characteristics, including some alcohol aspects here. Excellent malt foundation in the flavor with strong underpinnings of roastedness, toffee, and dark caramel. Excellent oxidative characteristics and more Bourbon flavors here as well. The barrel-aged aspect really comes across powerfully but really works out well in the end. The body is superbly balance and mediates the alcohol strength, massive flavor profile, and aromatic complexities with aplomb. This is a strong, hugely-complex beer that is really top notch. Excellent.
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