Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout (Bourbon Barrel Aged)

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Munster, Indiana USA

Serve in Snifter

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1000th rating!!!!!! Celabrated with Walleye at Kuhnhenns. 2012 bottle 317 out of 688. Aroma has huge notes of bourbon, toffee, esspresso, chocolate, dark dried fruits, smoke and red wine. Wonderful aroma. Black hue with a samll light tan head that left little lace. Flavor is very sweet, bitter and medium smoky. Palate is very full bodied and oily soft with a big velvet body. Overall a wonderful bourbon Impy that really lived up to the hype. Great in every way. Very close to the GI Rare. Loved it!!

Believe the hype!!! No head, no lacing, a massive bourbon nose. this motor oil is something explosive!!! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Sampled while at Borefts 2012, huge thanks to Belgbeergeek! [Bottle #175/489, 2011 Vintage] Very dark brown to black color, small light brown head. Smell dark malts, roasted malts, dark candi sugar, sweetness, bourbon, moccha. Taste malts, lightly roasty, clearly bourbon, again some moccha, warming alcohol, a bit sweetish. Thick, syrupy texture, full body, medium to full carbonation.

Alright, so we’re at TWO milestones for this one: My 1600th rating, the #2 highest rated beer on Ratebeer, and the most I’ve ever "spent" in trade for a single beer okay, there are THREE milestones here). I should state in advance that I have no idea what to expect from this one, because wile I quite enjoy a well-cellared DL, it’s absolutely appalling fresh, at least to me. Consumed within a couple months of receipt in trade. Shared with a large group at the Ratebeer Alberta Gathering 2012. Bottle, from the RBAG Commemorative Glass - Pours viscous black, no real head, no real lacing. Nose is soy sauce, fudge, massive vanilla, cashew, toast, MASSIVE SCREAMING BOURBON, but not offensive. Flavours of caramel, molasses, caramilk, bourbon, chewy toffee, fudgy, amazingly the alcohol is so well restrained. This is so close to perfect...

UPDATED: APR 25, 2013 This beer is full bodied in every way. Fantastic aroma of all sorts of things. thick pour, full feel on the palate, incredible experience. I gave it a seventeen because I didn’t particularly love the flavor combination, but still an interesting and incredible creation, something that is completely unique and memorable. not the best feeling on the palate, either, a bit heavy and sticky.

Thick, syrupy, and dark. Tastes and smells too much like molasses. Not sure about this one. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle, shared at RBAG 2012 Summer Session. Marked directly on the bottle as #520/688. Black syrupy pour, so thick it truly does look like 50,000-mile motor oil! Aroma is intense and sets my mouth watering: fresh tiramisu, chocolate, bourbon. Sticky, thick, hearty palate that is densely flavoured to reflect the nose: fresh tiramisu, bourbon-toffee sauce, hot fudge, vanilla, woody and earthy undercurrents. Boozy and warming, but smooth as silk. I wondered whether this would be worthy of the hype or whether it is inflated by rarity. It is worthy of its accolades and deserving of its status. Just an exceptional treat.

Bottle shared at RBAG Summer Session 2012. Thanks for the effort to get this Savvy - and for sharing!! The nose was of sweet chocolate, vanilla, and light bourbon. The vanilla and bourbon were predominant but neither was overpowering. The flavors were nice and superbly well meshed. The chocolate and bourbon finished quite well together. It was exceptionally smooth, perfect in body. This beer was fantastic.

Rating 1400! Bottle shared at RBSG 2012 Grand Tasting. I don’t even know what to say about this beer. It’s a whole new level for imperial stouts that I didn’t know existed. All those other reviews of other imperial stouts that talk about "fudge" and "brownies" and "roasted coffee" and "barrel notes" may as well be talking about dog food. This beer is so vivid, so delicious, it’s like brownie concentrate with caramel, nuts, syrup. Body is full and soft, unlike the oily chore that is regular Dark Lord. It’s definitely really really sweet, but in sample size it’s unparalleled. Maybe the biggest highlight of a great night.

Rating #1700. RBAG summer 2012. From 650ml brown bottle, 2012 vintage, numbered 520/688. Deep black pour, thin tan head. Warming and rich nose, nice bourbon notes. Taste is rich, big dark malts, brown sugar, bourbon. Chocolate and light hoppiness at the end. Rich, full bodied, but surprisngly easy to drink. A pleasure.