An unepxected treat - sharing a 13 year old bottle with Keith himself. For 13 years old, this is ridiculously good. Velvety smooth, very little autolysis. The coffee notes may have ebbed away a little, but there is still plenty of chocalate and sweet malty goodness. Just need to work out how I’m going to get my hands on that 14 litre bottle now...

It’s about time i rated this, it’s going to be from memory and oh what a fuzzy memory....why is it that the only time I’ve ever drunk this was at the end of a really big night at Galbraiths.....stumble to the bar after 10 pints of bitter and twisted and ask the barman "can i ha a romananaov pleashhh?" Great times with great company! Anyway to business, a beer with a cult following! Extraordinarily well balanced beer huge head a really pleasing way to finish a night with a cigar!

2000 bottle. Cask conditioned. Bottle fermented. Good carbonation. Sharp unsweetned licorice and molasses aroma. It just smells "BLACK". Thanks James!!! Black beer. Lasting brown head with a foamy body. Light sourness in the flavour. Black flavours. Dry chocolate with hints of peat.

UPDATED: SEP 23, 2008 First of before I write a damn word about the beer James a big fucking thank you. A 2000 vintage and this bottle had a ton of life. Big complex, roast and hints of coffee and sourness,,,,,,fucking amazing. Down to the last 149 beers from Michael Jackson’s 500 Classics

Tasted 11/09/2007. 1998 vintage from a jeroboam. No notes, so these thoughts from memory. Oily black with a large rocky dark tan head. Roasted malt, alcohol, port-like fruit, wood and a hint of ash and roast barley sourness on the nose. I’m very pleased it’s free of infection. Good in the mouth - a great balance of sweet toffee-like and roasted malts, alcohol, a little salt and a gentle bitterness. Perfectly carbonated. A great way to finish BrewNZ 2007. Excellent. Thank you Mr Cryer.

1998 vintage, jeroboam. Very privilaged to have been able to taste this. Pours a pitch black with a vibrant tan / beige head. Warm aromas of creamy fruit, raisens and a hint of alcohol, there is a oxidisation note but not one that detracts from the profile, on the contray it gives it character. Chocolate, malt sweetness and and good substantial mouthfeel characterise the palate.Leadsout on a smooth ballanced finish that features both malt, alcohol and bitterness i perfect sync.

(21 Jan 06) 2000 vintage. I have wanted to try this beer for a long time so thanks Chris (Santa 2005)! They were right about this vintage being over-carbonated! Pitch black liquor topped with a fizzy brown head. Bittersweet body of coffee and chocolate with a dry burnt finish.

Near black colour with brown head. The aroma is roasty, a bit woody, cheesy, boozy as well. Body is a bit thin, but it’s a bit old. Some smokey character with roasty accents. Too fizzy and that messes things up a bit. It does have an interesting flavour profile mind you, I just have a strong bias against fizziness.

Bottled (2000 vintage). Dark black, very lively pale brown head. Aroma of chocolate and marmite. Sweet with full body and surprising sparkling mouthfeel. It feels mature, there’s butterscotch and raisiny plums. Salty finish. A gentle giant that grew on me. Thanks to beer_legend for finding this hidden treasure at Galbraiths, and showing me around Auckland!

This imperial stout pours a deep black color from a 300ml bottle. Small sized beige foamy head. Aroma is smoky and soy sauce, yup it bacon. Medium to full bodied Imperial Stout. Malts are chocolate and coffee. Fairly smooth tasting. Big alcohol bite. Some cherries and chocolate flavors. A little unbalanced, but a nice dry finish. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet. Thanks to Per for sharing this one.