Beer Review: Double Barrel (Bourbon and Rye) Aged Mexican Cake (2014 Vintage, Fresh)

Reviewing the Double Barrel (Bourbon and Rye) Aged Mexican Cake from Westbrook Brewing Company out of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

Score: 85

September 2014 vintage bottle (yellow label) served in a stemmed Mikkeller "the Original" glass and enjoyed on 10/15/14. Thank you Paul for sharing this treat!

Appearance: Same appearance as the other two variants of the 2014 Mexican Cake. Inky black color with a thin layer of head that settles to a thin ring around the glass. No lacing or retention, but nice oily legs. 4/5

Smell: Heavy oak, "green" rye spice, licorice and dark chocolate. Hotter/boozier on the nose than the other two 2014 variants. The nose is largely muted and predominately oak and licorice. Notably "harsher" than the other two variants. No cinnamon/vanilla or spice/pepper. 3.5/5

Taste: Dark chocolate, cinnamon, oak, and licorice. Finishes with the chocolate and cinnamon. No pepper character other than a touch of layering heat on the finish, and no vanilla either. A bit boozy too. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: The viscosity level on this brew falls somewhere between the tequila variant and the bourbon variant. Appropriate carbonation. Nice faint spiciness, but nothing remarkable. Good balance overall. 4/5

Overall: A solid, average/above average barrel aged stout in a sea of indistinguishably whose adjuncts are muted to the point that they might as well have never been added to the brew. This brew was boozy and easily the harshest of the Mexican Cake variants.

Cost: $30 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle (4 per person limit).