Bottle: Poured a dark black color with almost no head. The aroma was coffee and chocolate. The flavor was like a stout with amaretto added. It was good, but not great.

12 oz bottle, batch 8731 (9/15/08). Pours a dark black with a creamy dark brown head that diminishes to a thin film that laces the glass.<br /><br /> The aroma is roasted chocolate malts and coffee with a little DMS. Cherries come out as it warms.<br /><br /> The flavor is a quick touch of roasted chocolate malts that is quickly overwhelmed by tart mouth-puckering cherries. As it warms the flavors blend a little better - more chocolate covered cherries. The mouthfeel is medium to full with creamy carbonation.<br /><br /> Overall, a bit one dimensional with the cherries in the flavor, but fun nonetheless.<br />

Bottle in Secret Santa. Aroma of coffee and dark malt. Poured a deep dark black. Flavor was tart, dark chocolate covered cherry and to me oakey. Palate was smooth and enjoyable. I may have to see if I can get this local. Damn tasty, Bells wins again. Oh yeah this was a 2008 bottling.

Pint Glass Aroma of coffee and toasty stout malt. Fresh batch, the taste hits like a truck. All tart sour cherry with some milk and dark chocolate. Pours a dark ebony color, with a dark hot chocolate head. Sweet and boozy with a cherry cordial warmth. Cellaring a bottle to see how well it does in a year or two.

12oz bottle pours black with reddish hues, mocha colored head again with reddish hues. Aromas of cherry juice, like the juicy juice crap I drank as a kid. Other aromas of roasted malt, and coffee. Flavors of sweet but tart cherries, roasted malt, and coffee grounds. The cherry is nice, but a bit much IMO. Could be a lot better if the cherry was toned down a bit. I here the Bourbon barrel version is a great example of that.