Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Pours a totally opaque thick black color with thin light brown head. Aroma is very roasty, thick, full of dark malts, notes of ash, toasted oak, fair amount of dark caramel, roasted dark coffee, cream, faint dark chocolate, slightly salty. Flavor is full of roasted coffee, bit of dark chocolate, burnt oak, toasted caramel, cream. Palate is fairly thick. Finish is mildly sweet. Overall a very nice imp stout, doesn’t quite live up to the hype, up still very good.

Bottle, 22oz, 2007 vintage. (Big thanks to the epeeist) Even though this is a heavenly beer, I can’t get myselves to rate it higher. The reason is that it’s just too much, even for a lover of imperial stout like me. Like Sam Adams Triple Bock, I think it’s over the top. Packed with flavors and aromas, but there’s a limit for everything. I shared my bottle with friends, but drank half of it on my own, but that took me some two hours. Two fine hours, but still...
The pour was black as the original sin, with a small, lasting tan head leaving nice lacings. The flavor was as expected full of the dark stuff with licorice, molasses, burnt malt, chocolate and coffee doing most of the job. Actually, the licorice and roasted malt is trying to overpower all the others, and they do a good job on that attempt. There’s molasses, some warming alcohol, licorice and lots of sugary dark flavors in the mouth, also here it’s lacking a bit on the hoppy bitterness I think. Still it’s the beer being closest to a perfect 10 on flavor of those I’ve had so far. It’s thick and chewy on the palate, one of the chewiest I’ve had, and it has a long finish with all the flavors found initially, and finally, there’s my longed-for hoppy flavors too. It sort of deserves the hype I think, yet I think it might be overrated. (080215)

Rudy, you are the man amigo. Thanks for this 2007 bottle of brewskie =) DL pours thick and viscous but a little weak in the froth producing only a shortlived copper sheath at the end that quickly disappears. Aromas are heavy and dense like a foggy night with tons of roasted chocolate. Full, chunky, chewy, nectar with soft carbonation that just hits the mark. This is like drinking pudding. A huge malted chocolate bar in every serving. I mean, seriously man...PUDDING THICKNESS. I have the phone next to me incase I need 911 to revive me from choking. This is aboslutely drinkable. It’s amazingly balanced despite it’s decadent, hedonistic disposition. I wouldn’t say this beer is complex but it’s right in your face and demands to be heard. Theres a defined roasted coffee bean component along with some vanilla waffer. The pudding turns a bit acidic on the finish which is a good thing as it helps to tame this beast. The high abv is well hidden. Overall: I will Trump this as the head is weak and wouldn’t get a full 100 for that alone. As for this being the best. Not in my book. It’s fractions away from Dark Horizon. It’s just not a complex beer by flavor or aroma. Bottom line: it’s in my top ten IS list.

Thanks to two guys who run a website that shan’t be named here. Big chocolate, molasses and coffee flavors with some nice balancing roasted malt smokiness. Thick, chewy mouthfeel and a nice finish. Outstanding beer!

650 ml bottle w/silver wax (2007). Black body with a thin brown head. Powerful and pleasant aroma of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee, but actually dominated by sweet roasted liquorices. Complex flavor, dominated by sweet molasses but also warming alcohol, lots of chocolate and coffee. A classic. Thanx to Yngwie who managed to get a hold on this treasure.

Wow thanks alot there Alldaydrinker for sharing this amazing beer with me. Im glad we could sit down on your birthday and drink a nice snifter full of this 2006 bottle. When poured out it was blacker then the blackest black times infinity. The beer did have an initial nut brown head that was thick but it faded very quick and it left no laceing along the sides of the glass due to its thick viscus syrup like texture. Dont be fooled though it is still an amazing brew. I must have smelled this for a good 10 minutes before i took my first sip since it was so rich on the nose and the alcohol was evaporating in my nostrils I could have got drunk off the smell alone. It was full of rich moca chocolate, roasted coffee, cherry and rasberry with some other hints of dark fruits. You could also pick up that minor hop bitterness over all the other complex flavors. When i took my first small sip my mouth was blasted with coffee to the max. I feel like i just ate fresh coffee grounds and chased it with the creamiest coffee ice cream. This is probably the most intence coffee beer I have ever had. The more you drink it the more you want to savor the rich flavors in your mouth. Personally enjoyed the coffee film that was left around my entire mouth. After each sip the film just got thicker and thicker. I could still taste the beer flavor long after I had finished it. Since it is extreamly think almost like drinking rich chocolate moca, irsh cream, and coffee sludge but with that taste of heaven in your mouth. It starts out smooth and nice then gets rough and extreamly bitter with a finish that is creamy and refreshing, almost like your having sex. I cant say enough about this amazing imperial stout. Just glad i got a chance to try it considering its limited distribution.

2006 Bomber courtesy of Saarlander thanks Aaron! Much appreciated for the hookup!Shared with my good buddy emerica56!. Thought this would be a great treat on my birthday. Pouring a visible syrupy texture with a dark opaque brown color with medium dark tan creamy head that resides to small head retention. Nose is pungent, from opening of the bottle was very noticeable. Complex and depth of this aroma is outstanding. Initial breakdown of the aroma hits the nose with strong display of alcohol, liqourish, lactic and cherries. Vinous qualities. Moving in underlying layers mocha, cappuchino, macadamia nuts and dark malts. Deepest layer is resembling some characteristics of a rauch, with sweet bbq smoke that brings salvation to mouth. Initial mouthfeel oflots of microbubbles and slushing over the mouth with smooth velvety touch. Moving into a delicate melt of chocolate, cherry, fermented fruit mash, black currants and coffee. Enhancing heavily into the mid palate is creamy coffee icecream and mocha-cappuchino. The finish retains the coffee cream but bitter hops takes control in the bargaining mix displaying a bitter lactic. Roasted characteristics sit the background aggravated and sensitive. The aftermath is of stickiness of the mouth and lips. Palate duration is perfect, palate is scorched with flavor and complexity. Full body that is hearty but easy to drink. Alcohol is heavily attended in the nose but well masked in the taste. Great experience, cheers to another awesome birthday!

06. Poured thick with a deep brown head. Malt and coffee to the nose. Drinks like Pepto and finishes with some chocolate. Could drink all day if it wasn’t so hard to get. Thanks to TheRealBastard for sharing! Re-rate* 08. Poured exactly like all the other years, black and like oil with a thick brown head. Aroma of alcohol, coffee, and some chocolate. Flavor was dominated by sweetness. Other than that, awesome beer.