Cigar City Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout - Double Barrel-aged 2010

Formerly brewed at Cigar City Brewing
Style: Imperial Stout
Tampa, Florida USA

Serve in Snifter

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Poured from a bottle by the man himself. Black with a tan head. Carbonation is light, but oh it doesnt matter. Chocolate, asphalt, molasses, ash, light coffee, bourbon, apple brandy...wow what an aroma. Flavor is just insanely wonderful. Apple brandy barrels are a neck ahead of th ebourbon...but you get both flavors that meld with chocolate, molasses, prunes, tar and espresso. Just a flavor bomb. Amazing. right up there with the best CCB beer to day. Bravo!

750ml Bottle The best imperial stout I have ever had, PERIOD. poured pitch black with almost no head to speak of, from low carbonation. Aroma is just amazing, chocolate roasted grain light caramel and vanilla; with tantalizing notes of booze from the barrels. Taste doesn’t disappoint, same notes with a perfect blending of bourbon and brandy. The low carbonation actually adds to the experience rather than detracts.

UPDATED: MAY 31, 2011 Bottle split with Linh. Pours a jet black, soy sauce syrupy body with no head or lacing. Aroma is ridiculously absurd - notes of dark, dark chocolate, deep espresso, sweet brandy, oak, and bourbon. Mouthfeel is syrupy thick with notes of sweet chocolate, toffee, caramel, creamy vanilla, brandy, bourbon, oak, molasses (and I’m told blackstrap molasses has incredible nutritional value!) - one of the greatest stouts and brews I’ve ever had. Totally took me by surprise.

This was a fantastic beer. I could not imagine it being any better. Pours pitch black with no head. I love the complexity of this beer, my palate was going crazy with everything going on with this. I can’t wait to try my second bottle once it ages a little more.

Bottle. Poured pitch black, oily. Nose was huge bourbon, smoke, coffee, dark chocolate, earth. Flavor was thick roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, hints of smoke, big smooth bourbon and brandy, warming booze. This is truly a treat.

Pours a jet black with no head. Aroma is chocalate bourbon, roasted malts and nuts. Taste is perfect. Bourbon is strong with chocalate and coffee. Brandy notes are also there. Palate is awesome we’ll balanced and great warming ability. Overall this beer is almost perfect

UPDATED: MAY 15, 2011 A big tip of the cap to Hopscotch for sharin’ this beast. A bubble-less oil slick of concentrated delight. Doing what Cigar City does best, this complex warlock’s brew has more sacrificial ingredients than the La Brea tar pits! I’m serious, maybe only Dark Lord can compare to the complexity behind the Marshal’s label. Like any sailor entranced by the sweet songs of the Siren, the notes you hear will be specific to you. That being said, I tasted smooth delicious chocolate, molasses, brandy, oak, bourbon, and carmel. A real stunner....

UPDATED: APR 17, 2011 Pours a jet black with no head. Aroma is chocalate bourbon, roasted malts and nuts. Taste is perfect. Bourbon is strong with chocalate and coffee. Brandy notes are also there. Palate is awesome we’ll balanced and great warming ability. Overall this beer is almost perfect

Sampled several times pre release, Thanks Joey. A: Pours a nice rich deep black hue with a small tan head. No real retention or lace here. S: Wonderful rich deep aromas. Tons of barrel here. The apple brandy really sticks out with notes of the oaky bourbon barrel as well. Very rich and earthy. Lots of roast, smoke, and chocolate. Coffee is there with hints of asphalt and dark fruits. T: Not as bold as the flavor but still reallly good. Loads of barrel goodness. The rich brandy plans well off the oaky bourbon. Tons of charred malt with hints of dark fruit and booze filled chocolate candy. M: Rich and thick, low on the carbonation when I tried it (as it was bottle conditioning). Lack of carbonation does not hurt at all though. Light carbonation is actually pretty nice here. D: Not the most drinkable, but very sippable which is how you should rate a beer of this style.

Great, amazing beer. Everything about this is smooth. I kind of like Bourbon county stout from goose island better. This is an amazing beer. Practically perfect.