Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Huge thanks go out to BA’s Woody Chandler for making this possible and BeerGestapo for sharing it with me. A 2006 vintage. Poured black with some blood red highlights near the edges, no real amount of head just some brown bubbles here and there. Swirling the glass leaves a thick oily coating everywhere the beer touches. As I took my first sniff I was afraid it may not live up to the hype. Smelled sweet with notes of molasses, brown sugar, cocoa, and a bit of dark fruit. It almost reminded me of a Lagunitas stout. My fears were quelled however as soon as I took a sip. Oh man that is some good stuff! The first thing I noticed was how thick it was. Like a big gulp of chocolate milk. Then the taste spread over my eager tongue. Notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and molasses. As it got a bit warmer I picked up a hint of earth and herbal mint buried deep within its murky depths. It was very sweet for an RIS but had enough bitterness to keep it in check. The finish was divine as well. I could taste dark chocolate and espresso for minutes after a swallow. An amazing beer and well worth a trip to Indiana no matter how far that may be.

2005 Bottle at the RB Rochester Gathering, Aug. 30/ 09. Thanks, ElJefe! Dark and oily with no real head. Smooth as can be and velvety soft. Creamy molasses flavor with strong chocolate and vanilla highlights. Lots of color left behind in the glass. Much sweeter than other imperial stouts, and very well balanced. Unique and deserving of its fame.

Bottle at the RB Rochester Gathering, Sept. 09. vintage) Thanks, ElJefe! It’s no secret the promise of this nectar lured me away from some other weekend duties, and it didn’t disappoint. You can’t see through this of course, but in its blackness I see orange and brownish highlights. Licorice, molasses, raspberries, there is more, but I needed more time and beer to detect it; also possibly because the aroma was a bit subdued, there, bit in the background. Superb palate. Starts creamy, with berries and chocolate exploding from it. Sweet with pure chocolate finish at the end. Nicely balanced.

2005 Bottle at the RB Rochester Gathering, Sept. 09. Thanks, ElJefe. Wild brown film hugs the glass as you swirl it! Huge burnt malt. Enormous bitterness. Quite fruity--surprisingly so-- with a good bit of sourness in there too. Huge and mouth-assaulting in its bitterness and burntness. Very complex.

Bottle, thanks to Cletus! Shared with hobbersr and macadem. Pours black and viscous, have to really work it around in the snifter to get a head on it, and when you get one it’s a deep chocolate brown. No lacing to speak of. Nose is molasses and vanilla, unripe fruit, green bananas, smoke, light suggestion of hops, very dense and sweet. In the mouth, this beer hits like a steamroller, genuinely feels weighty on the tongue. Huge smoke, tootsie roll, hops, burnt sugar, chocolate, oatmeal, cinnamon, and such mild, mild, carbonation. It’s a big, sweet, heavy, and mildly boozy monster of a beer, but tasted against the Expedition Stout and the Bourbon County, it came off a bit sweet and clumsy. Solid, but not worth all the hype perhaps. must try aging this, and I’m still going to Dark Lord Day 2010. To be re-rated in time...

22 oz black waxed 2008 bottle shared courtesy of awiseman01. Thanks for standing in the hot sun for a long time...it was worth it for me! This masterpiece poured a midnight black that is as thick as motor oil with a smaller deep brown head. Nose is full of dark chocolate, licorice, prunes, deep roasted to burnt malts, molasses. Flavors follow with the dark chocolate, espresso, molasses,vanilla hints. Mouth is dense and full. Syrup like texture with a bit of an alcohol burn. Fabulous beer period!! Re-sampled a 2009 taster while waiting in line at DDG release at Lost Abbey. Perhaps too hot of a day for the Dark Lord but still very tasty. This vintage was still a little too hot and not melded as nice as the 08. Very intense with the pure roasted malt flavors. Some dark roasted coffee as well. Will be aging this one a little bit perhaps. Re-sampled 9/25/09 as a 07, 08, 09 vertical. The ’07 was very creamy with molasses and heavy roasted coffee grinds dominating, the ’08 was developing green apple and caramel flavors, white the ’09 was still pretty hot with a lot a smoked meat flavors. All 3 have well melded flavor profiles with a very chewy mouth. A really nice

My Rating # 3200. 2007 Bottle @ Odense Smagning, August 09. Pours pitch black with a small creamy dark brown head and lacings. Nose was hard roasted coffee, liquorice. Very oily, phat and smooth. Molasses and chocolate. Hints of vanilla. Very complex and vinous with a long lovey finish. Top 10 beer for sure. Dammmn!

Disappointing aroma, i was expecting more on the nose. That being said, it more than makes up for it in flavor and mouthfeel. The delicate notes are amazing, something you pick up after the fact. Like heavy oil on the palate, this is great, but maybe overrated.