 Ernest (4178), Boulder, Colorado, USA
May 7, 2008
Bottle (batch 005).
Head is initially small, frothy, brown, mostly diminishing.
Body is black (non-opaque, flashlight tested).
Aroma is moderately malty (roasted grain, chocolate, caramel), with notes of wood, vanilla, alcohol.
Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter.
Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter.
Medium body, watery/syrupy texture, soft carbonation, moderately alcoholic.
Pleasant but fairly ordinary and uncompelling. The aroma just doesn’t draw me in, and the mouth experience is a bit disappointing for the style.
HenrikSoegaard (2897), Randers, Denmark
Jul 16, 2008 Bottle. Creamy lightbrown excellent mostly lasting head. Black colour. Moderate malty and hoppy aroma. Honey and vanilla notes. Strong chocolate bitter flavor. Loads of vanilla. Heavy bitter long finish. Creamy palate. Great stuff.
csbosox (937), Prairie Village, Kansas, USA
Jul 15, 2008 11.2oz bottle, bb 06/06/09. Served in a snifter at a fairly cold temperature. The aroma is chocolate, oak, some fragrant alcohol notes, and some strong maltiness, almost like lactose-like. Deep dark reddish brown color with a wispy tan head. Initial taste is sweet malt, cocoa followed by oak and really light scotch flavors. Flavor is roast, cocoa, subtle but bright top notes that seem to be a little fruity, dark fruits, and some lingering tannins. Smooth mouthfeel, the alcohol and tannins help to clean up the malt at the finish. The whisky is very light in the flavor, which is typically a good thing for me, but I wanted a little more out of the flavor. Maybe I really wanted a different barrel, I do greatly prefer Islay’s...
michael-pollack (1310), King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA
Jul 12, 2008 330ml Bottle: Aroma of whiskey, wood, vanilla, roasted malts, chocolate, and oak. Pours black with a hint of ruby in color and a medium-sized brown head that lasted throughout. Opaque. Very good lacing. Flavor is lightly sweet and not bitter. Tastes of roasted malts, chocolate, whiskey, wood, and vanilla. Medium to full body. Smooth, creamy texture. Soft carbonation. Roast, chocolate, and whiskey finish is a little chalky.
mreusch (425), Olathe, Kansas, USA
Jul 6, 2008 11.2oz. bottle, best before 01/06/09, with another thanks to BlackForestCO, appreciate it Jake! Pours a dark brown with a two finger foamy tan head that lingers, minimal lacing. Aroma is pretty subdued on this one, with faint dark fruits, molasses, cola, and chocolate. Flavor brings things out more, with bourbon, oak, chocolate, dark fruits and light vanilla. The flavor definitely makes up for the lacking aroma. Another good one, but not quite as enjoyable as the 009. Thanks again Jake!
Beerlando (1135), Orlando, Florida, USA
Jul 2, 2008 Pours a very dark mahogany to virtually black in color. A small, frothy, khaki colored head settles quickly to a swirly film with a staunch, bubbly edge. Wet lacing leaves minimal spotting on the glass. The aroma shows rich, fudgy chocolate notes, sweet caramel, and molasses, all layered with a smooth, lightly smoky whiskey kiss. Vanilla emerges as the beer warms, as do lightly earthy hops and fig notes. Flavors start out quite chocolaty and sweet, quickly turning more pungent as the peaty Scotch rushes in. Caramel coated figs and hints of hazelnut come through as well. Medium-plus bodied and moderately carbonated, a touch of alcoholic heat tingles the back of the throat. Smoother and less aggressive than the 008 and 009 versions, the whiskey is more subdued and integrated here. That serves as both a blessing and a curse, as the aggressiveness of the Scotch is what set the aforementioned brews apart from the rest of the pack. Overall, the 005 is very, very good, and probably more appealing to the masses than the others.
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