4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
A big ass sample from a bottle courtesy of Rick from Lardo (Thanks, Rick!). Colour...very dark brown with a thick, pillowy tan head. Nose...roasty and redolent of sweet spices, herbs and nuts (esp almonds). Palate...delicate froth and a velvety texture kick off the experience then a wave of spice comes across the palate with the Fernet Branca flavours leading the way. There’s a semi viscous feeling that transcends into a tangy aspect which carries its way to the finish. All the while, a cola presence makes itself known and lingers for many minutes on the soft palate. A truly unique saison that is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted!
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
Draught at the brewery during Zwickelmania 2013. Nose of almonds, herbs, and some pepper. Clear reddish-brown with ruby highlights. Initial has good roast malt, with dark fruit, and some bready notes / mid and final have a melange of chocolate, herbs, tea, and cinnamon. Watery, very warming, and smooth. A medicinal choco concoction. What a creative (and maybe drunk) soda fountain jerk might make for fun after closing down for the night. Quite complex. A dark saison aged in a rum barrel with truffles infused with Fernet Branca (which, itself, contains 27 herbs). These Upright guys push the limits, and it’s fun to go along with them.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
750mL shared by GT2 via brainlair. Thanks bros! Appearance is very dark brown, red highlights. Aroma is chocolate ganache, raisins, other dark fruits, cinnamon. Taste is more dark fruits, semisweet chocolate squares, raisins, some alcohol even though only 6%...maybe rum barrel/Italian liquor. Nice play of bitter and sweet on the palate. Not too sticky. Easy to drink for such a rich, decadent beer. Is that why this ridiculous dark beer gets to be called a saison? Maybe a normal saison had a baby with a stout. Overall quite nice.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
750mL with a mega thanks to brainlair for this ridiculous rarity. 24 bottles made? What? Pours inky black, large mocha foam. Big, delicate, webby lacing. Nose is vanilla cola, raspberries, blueberries, roast, milk chocolate, mint chocolate/Andes. Taste is mega silky, chocolatey, rich dark beer density like a stout/porter. Moderate ash, some blueberry tannic skin, no truffle to be seen but a lot of the Italian liquor coming through like a hint of Jagermeister shot. I’m not sure how the truffle is integrated and sad that it doesn’t come through, and I like the normal Saison Rahsaan better. Still, fun to try and very thankful to have good friends in Portland.
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