Score
7.63
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The Aromas are dark malt, caramel, toffee and hints of raisins and molasses. Don't pick up any Whiskey in the aroma. Flavors are like nose sweet up front with some growing bitterness towards the end. Whiskey comes in a good way. Body and carbonation are okay. Decent beer.
12 ounce bottle into tulip glass; bottled on 9/20/2018, best before 2023. Pours fairly hazy/cloudy deep ruby reddish orange/copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big raisin, plum, cherry, fig, date, berries, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red apple, citrus peel, coriander, peppercorn, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, and brown bread/crust; with light notes of banana, bubblegum, cocoa, molasses, licorice, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Very slight booze in the aromas as it warms. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, spices, dark/bready malts, and bourbon barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big raisin, plum, cherry, fig, date, berries, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red apple, citrus peel, coriander, peppercorn, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, and brown bread/crust; with light notes of banana, bubblegum, cocoa, molasses, licorice, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, floral, grassy bitterness; and peppery yeast/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of dark fruit, cherry, berries, peach, pear, apricot, melon, red apple, citrus peel, coriander, peppercorn, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, coconut, toasted oak, brown bread/crust, light cocoa/molasses/licorice, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, spices, dark/bready malts, and bourbon barrel flavors; with a nice malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and no cloying flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness and oak tannins. Medium-plus carbonation and body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and lightly sticky/tannic mouthfeel that is fantastic. Mild warmth of 11%, with no barrel booze lingering after the finish. Overall this is an amazing barrel aged Belgian strong dark ale! All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, spices, dark/bready malts, and bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to drink for the big ABV, with the mellowly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Well attenuated and not overly sweet/heavy for the ABV. very rich and complex; with perfect balance of Belgian yeast, spices, malts, and bourbon barrel presence/integration. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing spot on style example as expected. The barrels really improved, balanced, and softened the base beer complexity from what I remember.