Score: 95
Tap pour served in a 12 oz snifter and enjoyed on 07/11/13.
Appearance: Deep, dark brown in color; practically black in appearance. Vague ruby tones at the outer edges of the shiny body when held to the light. Served with just a ring of tan head around the glass. Below average lacing, but good retention. Imposing, but fresh in appearance. 4.5/5
Smell: Vanilla, brown sugar, caramel, chocolate and notes of raw oats (kind of like smelling a tube of Quaker Oats, only subtler here). Nice bourbon-forward nose without overwhelming the chocolatiness from the base. No roastiness. The more the beer warms up, the more marshmallowy vanilla that comes through in the nose. The vanilla character in the nose is quite reminisce of Three Floyd's Bourbon Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Dark Lord. Around room temperature, some twenty minutes after the beer was first poured, I detect some maple in my final wafts. The oat character gradually disappeared as this beer warmed up and aerated. 4.55
Taste: Tastes just like the nose. Bourbon, vanilla, marshmallows, brown sugar and chocolate with lingering caramel flavor. Really excellent flavor profile. The vanilla flavor is quite delicious, and as the beer warms up and layers on the tongue the marshmallowy vanilla flavor gradually intensifies. Bold and flavorful, but smooth. Just a touch of alcohol warmth without any boozy bite. There is a nice brown sugar and waffle syrup flavor complexity to the backbone flavor that shines best at room temperature. Overall, the brew reminds me of a vanilla-infused blend of fresh Bourbon County Brand Stout and the white wax (Elijah Craig 18) 50/50 Eclipse imperial stout on the nose without any of the "fresh" booziness of either. Quite excellent. 4.5/5
Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied, very low carbonation. Sticky and slick. Sweet profile, but no sweeter than fresh Bourbon County Brand Stout. 4.5/5
Overall: This beer is a total vanilla bomb that is sweet, but not cloying. I loved how the notes of marshmallow, bourbon and chocolate complemented each other here, with the vanilla taking an increasingly prominent role as the beer warmed up. My only suggestion would be to add some roastiness or coffee flavor to help counterbalance the sweetness and add an additional layer of complexity.
Cost: $10 for a 12 oz pour.
No comments:
Post a Comment