Caskalefan (24), Bellingham, Washington, USA
Dec 28, 2006
Pours opaque black with a billowy tan head. The nose is coffee, chocolate liqueuer, licorice, vanilla, chestmut, and bourbon.
The flavor is almost as complex as the aroma with the bourbon, and merlot being more muted than I expected, but not in a "they’re almost undetectable" sort of way. Rather, those flavors serve as underpinnings (in an almost catalystic manner) that bring out the intensity of the more obvious esters like bitter chocolate, roast coffee, vanilla, licorice, toffee, chestnut, salt, and almost a smoky bacon quality.
At first I thought the body was a tad thin to support such a dynamic flavor profile, but then I realized that if it were thicker, it would make the flavor almost too mouth coating and intense to be as drinkable as it is.
I agree with the other reviewers who think this beer will be an aging marvel, but for me it is already an absolutely ideal imperial stout, which I find even more rounded and complex than Speedway, and even more remarkable for achieving its decidedly coffeeish flavor component without the actual addition of that ingredient.
The finish is incredibly long, and the balance is wondrous for such a big brew. Wow!
 carruthm (388), Seattle, Washington, USA
Sep 1, 2008 black with tan head. oak, bourbon coffee aroma. smooth palate and a dark dark taste. Lots of the licorice and dark sugar.
DaSilky1 (1602), San Diego, California, USA
Aug 31, 2008 pretty dark but showing glimmers of an orangish brown in the light. thin dark tan head. remarkably vivid brownie aroma, chocolate galore. thick lucious chocolate flavors...signifantly sweet, but perfectly so. biscuity chocolate everywhere...hop bitterness is there but completely balanced by the sweetness ...slightly roasty but only enough to round out the chocolate flavors and bridge them with the subtely spiced hops. this is one of those imperial stouts that is really hard to find faults with....well done!
enginaaron (65), San Diego, California, USA
Aug 23, 2008 On tap at Churchill’s in San Marcos, Ca. Incredibly dark and viscous with a large, very dark tan head. Aroma low on hops but strong on the roasted barley with background chocolate and coffee and alcohol. Flavor is hugely dominated by coffee but develops quite a bit. Strong molasses flavor in the beginning but that soon develops into roasted barley, coffee, a small bit of chocolate, vanilla, and a strange sweetness I can’t put my finger on (actually was a rather dissapointing part of this beer.) Finishes with a huge coffee bitterness that I don’t think was favorable. Overall... good, but an off flavor that made it less enjoyable.
JoeMcPhee (3692), Jackson Heights, New York, USA
Aug 23, 2008 Thanks to puzzl and/or EDA for this one... I can’t remember which of them actually gave this to me. Pitch black, sticky and oily pour topped by a thick dark brown head. Aroma is really intense, heavy roast, rich sweet cocoa and chocolate, light licorice and a very soft and surprisingly subtle oak/bourbon vanilla character as well. The aroma is really lovely, molasses, dates, brown sugar and rich cocoa/vanilla. Really lovely aroma that is rich and sweet. The flavour is equally intense, rich roast/cocoa with a lovely oaky sweetness that accents rather then dominating everything. Sweet and chewy with some light molasses and brown sugar. Even a hint of smokey roast. Really tasty impy stout.
grant (760), Martinez, California, USA
Aug 22, 2008 Dark, with thick, rich light brown head. Earthy, coffee-laden aroma, quite woody. Soft, sweet but bitter espresso bean flavor. Extremely roasty with a significantly bitter finish.
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