Cigar City Capricho Oscuro (Batch 2)

Formerly brewed at Cigar City Brewing
Style: American Strong Ale
Tampa, Florida USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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Draft at CCB BA Bolita Release Party. Pours a murky dark brown to black with an off-white one finger head that settles quickly but laces the glass. Aroma is sweet and malty with notes of chocolate, vanilla, oak,bourbon, brown sugar, dark fruit, some hints of toffee, caramel and roasted malt. Amazing nose -- I think I like this better than Hunahpus! Flavor is also amazing -- sweet and malty with similar notes of chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oak, brown sugar, molasses, ripe dark fruit, toffee. Medium to full body with a wonderful, silky bourbon chocolate finish. This is probably my new favorite CCB beer. Amazing.

Draft @ the brewery’s BA Bolita release. A husky virtually opaque brown/black with a nice creamy light tan head. Lacing. I could smell this forever. Bourbon and chocolate, tons of malt, caramel, toffee, some hints of dark fruit. A nice boozy finish that doesn’t overpower what came before. Just tons of complex layers and balanced. Smooth, lush and magical; the hops and the barrel tannins and the alcohol all play well together. This didn’t loose any body to the barrel. Thanks Joey and Wayne, this was fantastic.

A: Pours a very deep dark black hue. The head was nice tall and dark. Very good retention with nice lace. S: Lots of bourbon up front. Hints of vanilla, dark fruit and lots of dark roasted malt. Chocolate plays a big role as well. T: Nose is very much like the taste, but it comes at you in waves. Wonderful caramel malt up front with bold roast coming next. Waves of chocolate and caramel come in the middle. Bold milk chocolate plays well off the hints of dark fruit that manages to peek though. The hops from the IRIS can be picked up before being overtaken by the oak and vanilla from the barrel. Mmmm Boozy goodness in the finish. M: Very full in body, bold, rich, and smooth. D: It’s a sipper, but a damn fine one.

UPDATED: AUG 3, 2009 Wow. Had this bad boy on draft at the BB Bolita release party. Pours a dark black with a small tan head. Nose is bourbony, but not overdone. The bourbon is the neglected child that wants attention here, but everyone else will have their say. There is also some barely noticeable roast, chocolate, and vanilla in the nose. Flavor starts off all bourbon but falls into chocolate, roast, and vanilla/ oak. Mouthfeel is smooth as hell and this child of the night, or "Strange Wind" just washes down the throat and takes cares away. Excellent beer- and it proves that blending is not just for sours. Alcohol is noticeable, but once you start drinking it, it feels like a session beer. Awesome.

UPDATED: FEB 21, 2010 I can’t believe I actually have to rate another Cigar City beer at 4.5. This is listed as an American Strong Ale, but I’d put it right up there as an Imperial Stout because of the IRIS being the biggest contributor, besides the bourbon. The bourbon certainly is the big winner in both flavor and aroma. It kicks your ass. Somehow, second to the bourbon, the aroma reminds me of Southern Tier Chocolat. Lots of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup in the aroma, but not as strong and cloying as the Southern Tier. There is a ton of roast in there and the hops from the IRIS are still kicking around. This beer is packed with a multitude of flavors, each very strong on their own but striking a delicate balance when blended together with the bourbon. Another fabulous beer.

UPDATED: OCT 5, 2009 On tap at the BB Bolita release party. Pours a deep rich black with a tan head. Similar in look to Hunahpus but not quite as impressive. The nose is simply outstanding. Chocolate, Cedar, Cherry pits, vanilla and bourbon assault the nose. Incredibly smooth. It incorporates characteristics from all 3 of the beers it is made with. It opens with the big bold roastiness of the 110k but has a luxurious smooth oat flavor with hints of chocolate and vanilla that come from the bolita and then towards the end has big notes of caramel and cherry pit finishes with some modest hops. This is a fantastic achievement. I hope this inspires more brewers to experiment with blending. Amazing. Rerate. The bottle did not turn out near as good as the draft. Still a solid beer but its very thin, lacking much in the way of barrel complexity.