Le Trou du Diable L’Impératrice (Fût de Bourbon Américain)

Brewed by Le Trou du Diable
Style: Imperial Stout
Shawinigan, Canada

Serve in Snifter

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Datk brown. Aroma of wood and maybe a bit of wine. Rich taste but mors boozy and lightly fruity...lacks the malt richness I prefer and goes down a bit hot. Ok, but a bit disappointing.

75cl bottle, thanks ygtbsm94. Medium brown head atop clear dark garnet body. Aroma is moderately sweet, vanilla, light Bourbon. Taste is moderately sweet, bittersweet chocolate, some Bourbon. Soft medium-full body.

750 shared by Marcus. Pours very dark brown with a beige/tan smear. Aroma is bourbon/wine. Reboot brain. There’s a lot bourbon/alcohol in the aroma. Full bodied. Flavor is arguably a bit tannic/sour with smooth bourbon and dark toast malt. It’s very complex and tasty.

A deep dark stout with a thick frothy brown head. In aroma, bitter chocolate, licorice, peaty notes and alcohol warmth. In mouth, a smooth peaty chocolate with burned coffee, vanilla, aniseed, loads of alcohol, nice. Tasted with GRM, Puskinwow, Boutip, Ian, Mike on Sept. 7 2012.

Bottle from an old trade (Dated 4/2012). Now available locally. Pours with a very dark brown, but not quite inky pour, medium sized fluffy brown head. Medium retention, good lace. Aromas are of coffee, dark chocolate, pancakes and bourbon (typical morning). Some minerality, very mild esters, vanilla, lactone, lightly spicy spirit character. Medium caramel to butterscotch roundness. Flavors are vinous and possibly a touch tart (definitely low pH for an imperial stout). Dark fruits, currant, light barrel, dark chocolate and caramel. I’d say there is definitely an infection starting up (which is a shame). Still quite drinkable now. Barrel character is moderate to light, but there is a medium strong tannin influence on the mouthfeel. A bit thin, livelier carbonation than expected. Medium warmth. Glad I drank this on now.

750ml shared by ygtbsm94: Pours a barely transparent dark mahogany with a stringy-lacing beige head. Has a sweet dark caramel and smoked malty nose with some brown sugar and vanilla notes. Starts with pretty good fullness and fine carbonation with a hint of vinous oak and sweet dark caramel maltiness with some dark chocolate and earthy smoky bitterness toward the finish. Pretty well-balanced and should age well.

bottle at Volo. Fairly strong carbonation.Big roast, very lacy black bodied. Dry, a dry stout/Imperial stout. A sipper. Mouthfeel at best medium.

My Bottom Line :
American oak greenness mounts this Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout’s roasted malt flavors, while banana candy, vanilla and flowers build depth.

Further Personal Perceptions :
-A sheet of foam garnishes the blackness.
-The mouthfeel is soft and plush. Not too heavy, and not lean either.
-Roasted malts create bitterness alongside resinous hops and lingering oak flavors.
-Alcohol is a discreet presence in the flavor profile.

Bottle.

Bottle shared by ygtbsm94. Pours a dark orange-brown color with a thin tan head. Decent head retention. Aroma of sweet malts, earth, banana, spice and brown sugar. The taste is brown sugar, slightly tart roasted notes, banana, spice. Medium bodied.

2012-12-31. Black body with a nice foamy brown head. Odd aroma, dry lightly dusty dark malt, very light roast, light alcohol character. 7+ Flavour is interesting, light funky vaguely Belgian character to dark malt, dark fruit and mild alcohol. Less roast than in the aroma. 7+ Smooth average plus to medium bodied palate is very effervescent, softly so. Decent, bit unusual I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it. Bottle at Volo, Toronto