Beer Review: Black Magick (2011 release)

Reviewing the 2011 release of Black Magick from Voodoo Brewing Company out of Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Score: 94

2011 vintage bottle served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 01/13/13.

Appearance: Ink black in color. Pours a thin layer of beige head that quickly settles to a ring around the glass. Average lacing, average retention with a nice cling factor. 4/5

Smell: Coconut, vanilla and milk chocolate followed by a light amount of boozy bourbon, sweet brown sugar and faint leather. The bourbon character is much more subtle than anticipated given the ABV and time spent in the barrel. Some oak too. 4.25/5

Taste: Vanilla, creamy coconut (less than the nose, however) and milk chocolate, as the nose implied, are the primary flavor characters. There is a little more bourbon flavor, and it is better integrated into the flavor than it was in the nose. There's a little plum and dark fruitiness too. Alcohol warms and light booziness towards the finish -- not unexpected for a 15.5% ABV beer! There is some brown sugar flavor in the mix too and a hint of licorice. There is a touch of a roast too. Very tasty, lots of complexity in how the flavors interact. This was a fun beer to consume and pick apart. This beer gets a little sweeter as it warms up. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Just shy of full bodied, minimal carbonation. Syrupy, slightly sweet and sticky on the palate. Finish is faintly dry with a residual stickiness from the brew. A little liveliness from the alcohol warms the tongue in the finish. 4.25/5

Overall: An excellent barrel aged imperial stout that is slightly sweet. Although it is not quite Uncle Jacobs, it is definitely one of the better barrel aged beers available, when available, in a 12 oz format. I am suprised this beer gets so little fanfare, though that impression may simply be the byproduct of the fact that it has been well over a year since this one was last released...a new batch is on the horizon, however, and I would recommend seeking it out...

Recommendation: Fans of imperial stouts, particularly the boozier ones, should seek a bottle of this out.

Pairings: Smoked Gouda.

Cost: $140 for a case at the brewery or $9 for a 12 oz bottle retail.