UPDATED: JAN 15, 2024 2022 version is 12%. Apparently NZ had some close calls with prohibition - didn't know that. Bottle from their Melbourne taproom. Black, fading brown head retreat to the rim but then perseveres. Big mocha and Bourbon aroma with blackberry reduction, vanilla. Silky, medium low carbonation. Very rich with lots of of chocolate and berries, less but still lots of roast, some pine, firm bitterness. Very good but perhaps a bit suffocating.

UPDATED: AUG 2, 2023 Bottle '22 pours darkest brown with a small tan head. Aroma is rich deep chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, coffee. Flavor is medium plus sweet chocolate raisin bourbon, light bitter, somewhat boozy. Full AF body, very smooth but intense and not so moreish. A very large beer.

UPDATED: DEC 14, 2022 Dark black with a thin brown head. Cake, caramel, vanilla, fruits and raisins. Strong bourbon notes in the nose and in the aftertaste.

UPDATED: JAN 26, 2021 330ml bottle. Pours deep black with a very modest tan head. Aroma is frankly amazing: like the best rich fruit cake you have ever had plus bourbon. It is medium to full bodied & tastes great; multilayered with fruit cake, chocolate, bourbon, plus some spice & vanilla. the sweetness & bitterness are well balanced, this is not one of those 'pastry' beers were the main attraction is ABV & sugar. Simply one of the best imperial stouts or porters I have drunk. Stunning

UPDATED: FEB 13, 2020 12oz bottle, 2019 vintage, pours a thick, black, ring of grey head. Nose is big, big licorice, big molasses, some sarsaparilla, some booze and barrel. Flavor has a little more charred wood, caramel, sarsaparilla, molases, toasted marshmellow. Heavy finish, drinks big.

UPDATED: DEC 26, 2019 Bottle @ Onuku Farm. 2019 ed. Pitch black, foamy light beige head. Really rich nose with chocolate, praline, caramel, toffee, vanilla. Taste has this too, ending with not to boozy, tobacco bourbon notes, medium bitter in the finish. Nice linger, tobacco chocolate. Good body, medium carbonation. Lacks just a tat of layering and mouthfeel to be a real gem.

UPDATED: OCT 28, 2019 Super dense porter. Tons of chocolate and coffee, some licorice and vanilla and dark fruit. Boozy. Tried with Kelsey and Tim at Pomeroys in Christchurch in 2019.

UPDATED: SEP 22, 2019 Thanks for the barkeep down at the Liberty Brewing Taproom for turning me on to this. Inky pour. Very aromatic nose with lots of ethanol vapor, dark fruits and aley yeasts. Mouthy, warming. The flavor mirrors the aroma - it's not as sweet though. This was the biggest porter I've ever consumed, and it's a world class pint. Run, don't walk, to get a few swigs of this.

UPDATED: JUN 30, 2019 very boozy to the nose, oh my dizzy aunt, that has a kick. Very sweet stewed fruit, molasses, plums, a dance party on the tongue.

UPDATED: JUN 8, 2019 Bottle at bottleshare, thanks explosivedog: pours black with a light brown head. Aroma is butterscotch, wood, bourbon, dark chocolate. Taste is somewhat sweet, dry, woody, loads of dark chocolate, booze is well covered. Well balanced.