12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled on 11/13/2017. Pours dense pitch black color with 1 finger dense tan head with great retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big cinnamon, mint, nutmeg, ginger, clove, chili pepper, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, fudge, caramel, vanilla, cream, brown sugar, toasted dark bread, light smoke/char, and herbal/roasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt and coffee/spice notes; with great strength. Taste of huge cinnamon, mint, nutmeg, ginger, clove, chili pepper, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, fudge, caramel, vanilla, cream, brown sugar, toasted dark bread, light smoke/char, and herbal/roasted earthiness. Mild herbal/roast/char bitterness and pepper/cinnamon spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of cinnamon, mint, nutmeg, ginger, clove, chili pepper, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, fudge caramel, vanilla, cream, brown sugar, toasted dark bread, light smoke/char, and herbal/roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt and coffee/spice flavors; with an awesome roasted bitter/sweet and spice balance; with zero cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-medium carbonation and very full bodied; with a very smooth, creamy, silky, velvety and rich mouthfeel that is fantastic. Slightly sticky, chalky, and drying from roast/spice notes. Alcohol is extremely well hidden; a mildly increasing warmth of 13% and chili pepper heat lingering after the finish. Overall this is an amazing spiced imperial stout style! All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt and coffee/spice flavors; and very smooth and dangerously to sip on for the huge ABV; with the mildly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Absolutely perfectly balanced between stout and spice flavors. Not overdone on any aspect. A highly enjoyable offering. Feels even thicker and richer with the higher ABV this year as well.

Draft pour at the Hop and Hound. I’ve never been a big fan of Christmas, but I can easily get behind the beers associated. Pours black, just days after my last Prairie bomb, which is nice to have the regular still fresh on my mind. Spice heavy aroma. Flavor is full of chocolate goodness, with some soft spice and mint. Palate is like mint chocolate chips. Lovely stuff here.

2015 bottle. Nearly black pour, topped with a thing ring of tan head. The nose is a sweet coffee scent; it reminds me of dark roast with the addition of chocolate, cinnamon, and something that says spruce. Light notice of the chilies. The taste is roast, espresso, a light chili presence, and cinnamon. Something about it says peppermint… Carbonation is a little light. Finish is smooth, silky. This is a solid offering; I liked the spiced element more than I thought I would.