Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout

Wow, very different. Picked up three bottles after 5.5 hrs. in line at DLD 2008. Pours thick, VERY thick, and very dark, with dark brown thin head layer; some lacing. Smells of amazingness including but not limited to the following: roasted coffee, toffee, caramel, sweet vanilla, rich molasses. Taste if so thick you think you’re not really drinking beer. It’s on it’s way to pancake syrup in thickness, not quite there though. Very sweet, with wonderful coffee, vanilla, and molasses flavors. The thickness and sweetness are what really set this royal treat apart from the every day stout (and I would have a stout every day if I could). I will make it a point to visit the brewpub in 2009 to try the other varieties. I can understand where some people find this dissapointing based on the hype, but personally I’m blown away simply by the uniqueness it contains. In terms of drinking for the sake of drinking due to the hype this beer receives, it gets an A-. In terms of drinking for the creativity, uniqueness, and individualistic-ness of this beer, it gets an A+.

Hands down the best imperial stout i’ve ever had. 22oz Bottle, 2008 (black wax.) VERY thick pour, motor oil and molassas consistency & color, with a small, chocolate colored head. Aroma dense and complex with roasted malts, chocolate chip cookie, hazelnuts, coffee, vanilla, maple, and just a hint of pacific northwest hops. Palate and Flavor is strikingly complex, and at 13%, frighteningly drinkable. It tastes like roasted chocolate milk, with dominant malt notes and hints of vanilla, biscuit, toffee, caramel, and just a tiny little bit of smoke. It finishes sweet without being cloying, and just a bit of hop bitterness lingers. Absoutly stunning.

Bottle, 2008. So I finally get to try the Dark Lord. I say "finally" despite only having been drinking craft beer for a year and a half, and only really took note of this beer a few months ago. Regardless, this beer is really something special. Aroma of burnt malt, tobacco, toffee, caramel, vanilla, unbelievably rich. Flavor is SO BIG with all these notes, but remarkably with all the burnt malt, all the sweet malt, all the alcohol, this beer remains what I would call exquisitely balanced. I’ve never had such a ridiculously smooth, soft, BURNT beer, nor would I ever have imagined a beer so loaded like this would not be unbelievably sweet and/or alcoholic. The combination of all these things I would expect to make an overdone monster, but as I said, this was something special. Remains so drinkable to the last sip, and rich to the last sip at the same time. For me, the CLEAR winner over Speedway in a back to back sampling. Simply amazing.

2008 bottle courtesy of iowaherkeye (thanks Joey!!). I’ve been wanting to try this for a long time now. I didn’t think that it would, but it lived up to its reputation. Pours an inky black with a thick but quickly disappearing dark tan head. Aroma of super rich sweet roasted malt, caramel, molasses. Flavor of burnt malt, toffee, molassess, caramel, vanilla with burnt toast in the aftertaste. Super sweet and pretty heavy, but somehow super drinkable! Not overpowering at all. Very smooth palate! The flavors really mesh together so well that it’s actually quite hard to pick them apart (and I’m sure I’ve done them a great injustice). I will have to try this again soon! My 2nd rated imperial stout, just below Expedition.

Thanks to iowaherkeye for bringing this bottle to his ’farewell to Iowa’ tasting. 2006 vintage. Poured an opaque black color. The head was brown with an orange tint. Smelled of chocolate liqueur, hay, and a dash of soy. Full bodied and sweet. Roasty and chocolate malts, dark fruits, and a bit of soy rounded out the flavor profile.