 Ughsmash (2835), Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA
Mar 18, 2008
2005 bottle thanks to Tom! Brewed 11/9/05, BB 11/9/2010. Stoutie rating #500!
Poured deep garnety brown with a short, creamy cap of mocha head. The aroma was delightfully complex.. oak sourness and tangy bourbon make a first impression, and the real goodness emerges when it has a minute to breathe.. rich, well-roasted darker chocolates meet vanilla.. a thin slice of flourless cake is delicately sprinkled with fine bourbon.. toasted oak joins spicy earth and coffee grounds.. multiple personalities come together in near perfect harmony.
The flavor fails to skip a beat.. rich, well-roasted dark chocolate rolls over the tongue slowly, giving a syrupy first impression.. vanilla, toasted oak, and sweet bourbon sugars are not far behind, and blend in nicely.. semi-sweet chocolates, vanilla, and more subtle bourbon grace the back-end.. sticky molasses jumps in near the finish as well as dry, brandy-like sugars.. long, memorable finish. Thicker-bodied with low carbonation and perfect balance on the palate.. warm, but this managed to mask its alcohol for the entirety of the drink (it showed up later). Brilliant!
TBone (4841), Pori, Finland
Jul 20, 2008 Bottled@RBESG Grand Tasting 2008
Pitch black color, small tan head. Oaky vanilla aroma. Licoricey, vanilla, some fudge, oak. Very nice liquerish palate. Some alcohol in the finish.
Retorp (2148), Tampa, Florida, USA
Jul 18, 2008 Huge thanks to Magic_Dave for this one. Thanks, Tom. The beer pours black but holds a few ruddy dark brown highlights. The head looks like a tiarimisu/parfait affair with discernible layers in its thumb thick mocha coloring. The aroma is pretty woody with a lot of vinous, whiskey and dark fruit notes. Mild vanilla and pineapple notes appear as well. Very thick mouthfeel, but a somewhat mild flavor profile. Nothing burns with alcohol or bites with bitterness. It is soft, fat, round and chocolaty. Certainly, there is some strong alcohol, but it blends nicely and reminds me of a chocolate liqueur. Gets a little hotter with alcohol and whiskey notes and sweet plump ripe dark fruits. Very refined and nuanced. Doesn’t hit you over the head and in fact may have the smoothest finish of any Imperial Stout I have had. Certainly that I can recall. It’s very nice for sure and I suspect I might like it more NOT aged in the oak barrels.
travita (662), Lewisville, Texas, USA
Jul 11, 2008 Bottle. Smell is bourbon, wood, malts, chocolate, and alcohol. Black with tinges of brown in color with a light tan colored head. Oily feel. Taste is malty, sweetish, some coffee, bourbon notes, oak, and chocolate.
oh6gdx (5208), Vaasa, Finland
Jul 10, 2008 Bottled. Black colour, small beige head. Aroma is vanilla, roasted malts, wooden sourness, some chocolate and vanilla. Flavour is the same along with some warming alcohol feeling as well as mild coffee in the finish. A very balanced brew.
Doggythedog (921), Split, Croatia
Jul 10, 2008 RBESG08 Grand Tasting
Black body. Coffee and bourbon in the nose, very sweet malty taste, bourbon and chocolate again I guess. The taste wasn’t flashy but I thought that it was great anyway.
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