Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout (Brandy Vanilla Bean)

Formerly brewed at Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Munster, Indiana USA

Serve in Snifter

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Jesus christ! Are you shitting me? Dark blackish pour, brown head. Aroma? Hell yeah...vanilla, brandy, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, chocolate...holy crap! Flavor is loaded with caramel, vanillla, toffee, sweet brandy oak notes, brown sugar, heaven in a bottle!!!!!!!&#

UPDATED: SEP 30, 2011 Bottle… This beer mega-rocks!… Pours pitch black and ridiculously thick with no head. The brew has the most amazing aroma ever - more amazing than the beers and meads I’ve previously claimed have the most amazing aromas ever. Smells like a blended bowl of Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles – I’m not picking up the usual Dark Lord notes of molasses, dark chocolate, fudge, espresso, etc. Full-bodied with a 20w50 mouthfeel and surprisingly lively carbonation. The flavor is a little more Dark Lord-like than the aroma – molasses, brandy, vanilla and milk chocolate. The finale is more of a luxuriant, chocolaty, brandy and vanilla slow fade than a defined finish. Big-time thanks to Maltzilla for popping the top on this amazing brew!

UPDATED: AUG 16, 2011 Bottle. Huge tip of the cap to Maltzilla for sharing this bad boy. Unbelievable freakin’ nose on this stout. Massive coco puff and vanilla bean aromas that could be smelled from two feet away. No joke, two freakin’ feet. Joan Jett black pour with no head. Delicious with all kinds of freakin’ coco puff, brandy, caramel, and molasses flavors. Marvelous.....

Nose is cherry, lots of chocolate, some sweet licorice, feel is medium and very fat, carb is quite low, taste is coffee, heavy port, sweet vanilla, coconut, red apple, oak, bittersweet finish of balanced hops.

Bottle split 5 ways at Darklord day, thanks to Chris for agreeing to split. Pours a nice black with thin tan head. Aroma is sweet malts, coffee, dark chocolate, brandy, oak, brown sugar, vanilla, a tiny amounts of hops, molasses, maple syrup, (agreeing with Bigmmartin) butter scotch, and heaven. Palate is chewy and silky smooth at the same time. Flavor is sweet, really pulling out the vanilla. This beer is the closest to perfection I have ever had. The only thing I can find as a flaw (if that’s what to call it a flaw) is the top of the beer did not have the oil slick colors on the top, which is a signature of regular Darklord.

UPDATED: MAY 14, 2013 Thanks Mike! Smells like liquid s’mores. Marshmallows and chocolate really shine through better than any other stout.

Palate follows the same recipe, adding copious amounts of vanilla to the mix. Very sweet, yet somehow avoids being cloying. Vanilla-chocolate, marshmallow, caramelized boozy aftertaste lingers.

It’s hard to convey how superb the balance of flavors here is. Brandy Vanilla ranks at the very top of its style, boldly leading its peers into new levels of deliciousness. Easily one of the best stouts ever brewed: BVDL defines the term world class.

Thanks to Chris for the split. This beer was a amazing. Everything you look forward to in an Impy stout and more. Amazingly complex yet not overdone. Nice nose of brandy that is not overpowering and allows notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee and other aromas to come through. The flavor is amazing. As I said, complex yet not overdone. Flavors of dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee, brandy, and others blend together in an orgasm of flavor. Nicely full bodied and smooth with just enough carbonation to fluff it up a bit.

289/433. Aroma is booze, vanilla, roasted coffee, chocolate. Pours jet black, thick. Taste is all brandy, wood, vanilla and chocolate/coffee. Super viscous. Full bodied and incredible. Super smooth....alcohol is nowhere to be detected in the taste. Soft carbonation. Most flavor I’ve ever encountered in a beer.

Bottle generously shared by grumpyoldtroll, thanks again Mike, you went 2x2 on the night Bottled poured what could have been mistaken for motor oil with a slight espresso head and no lacing.. The smell of this beer is overwhelmingly marshmallow, mixed with the booziness of brandy, simply amazing scent. The taste reminds me of being around a camp fire making smores. Mix of marshmallow, chocolate malt, vanilla and roasted malt. This beer is sweet on your palate, but incredibly balanced with the brandy and vanilla bean. I cant decide whether Brandy Vanilla, or Apple Brandy Huna go down as my favorite stout of all time....

Oh dark lord, you cruel mistress. bottle courtesy of beernbourbon, thank you!!!! what abeer this is. its huige and heavy and smashing and loaded with vanilla more than is really imaginable. totally different than 2010 dark lord and pvw dl, this beer is a stand alone for sure. the barrel is huge, the beer is huge, the vanilla is all over all of it. super intense and awesome ass kicker off a beer. i think i prefer this over the pvw version, slightly.