Innis & Gunn Limited Edition Oak Aged Beer (Bottle)

You would think, twice the price as a regular innis & gunn, twice as good. Not so. I see many people did not enjoy this beer. Make no mistake, I am not one of those people. I really enjoyed this beer. Just not as good as I expected. I found the beer to have an original character, although I do not agree with the part of the description on the box which mentions hops. Of which I tasted non of. I certainly tasted the chocolate, and a whisky sorta flavor. But no hops, some light malt flavor at the end. I know, not the best reveiw, all I can say is I really enjoyed the beer but I wouldn’t spend that kind of cash on it again.

330 ml bottle - pours rich clear copper with a fizzy white head that’s gone in seconds. Aroma very sour and oaky upfront, but underneath it all, there is some malt and some subtle hops. Kind of off-putting. Really alcoholic smelling, which is surprising given that it’s only 7.2%. None of that sourness carries through into the taste, thankfully - instead, there is a soft oakiness to the flavour, more full in body than I was expecting, and the subtle notes of vanilla, chocolate, and butter round out in the mid-palate. Very mellow in the mouth, and fairly sweet, almost like a weak bourbon or rum. Some faint hops. The beer finishes with a warming onset of the alcohol in the back of the throat, much like a liquor. Over carbonated. An interesting beer, which I’m sure has it’s fans, but after trying this and the regular oak-aged, I’m in no hurry to try any of the other Innis & Gunn products. Not something I’d recommend or get again.

Well, it was nice of them to give us a special edition, although it’s quite similar to the original: that coconut/bourbon/vanilla trifecta is very apparent, though I must admit the overall effect is a bit tamer and the colour more striking in this version. Granola, margarine, maybe some citrus, but they forgot the hops. A very brief, disappointing finish and the carbonation was a bit aggressive for the style. Unusual, I’d say, but not that good.

Very light sweet smell, deep golden colour, thick, lacing head. Unique woody taste mixed with sour and sweet. Cool tasting, feels good in the mouth. Aftertaste ain’t the greatest but overall a good dessert style beer.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry -- my bottle. Pours a clear deep ruby with a large lasting off-white head. Aroma of oak and bourbon upfront followed by...malt I guess? Way too simple and one dimensional. Flavour: Whoa, this is an odd one! I didn’t know what to make of it at first but after a few sips it starts to settle down: it tastes pretty much just of sweet malt and bourbon -- pretty bland and dull. A little watery too. Average bodied at best. Very disappointing.

Bottle. Amber colour, small tan head. Aroma is spicy with some vanilla, wood and cinnamon. Smooth fruity flavour, again some wood in the finish.

This doesn’t look a whole lot different than the regular oak-aged Innis & Gunn, and to be honest it doesn’t taste a whole lot different either. I certainly didn’t appreciate any "luxurious rich chocolate character" as promised on the fancy redundant packaging. This was once again dominated by a whiskey-barrel woodiness and vanilla-butterscotch sweetness that was just too much for me in the end.

Bottle (330ml - clear). shared with blankboy, his bottle. Clear refracitve bright burnt copper with a fairly large fluffy/foamy tan head. Aroma - oak, vanilla, plasticene, a hint of pvc, maybe some dried wildflowers - mostly just mild oak and sweet bourbon. Taste ... wet stale grain, slightly bitter floral hops, and sweet generic vanilla/bourbon - ehhh; who really cares anymore? Watery body, slick, astringent and midlly boozy, lingering alcohol and booze-soaked oak barrels, with slighlty sun-fermented corn silo pungency in there (that’s not a good thing, btw) - not awful, but Lord I wouldn’t drink it again. Meh.