Bottle from the Green Shop, Berwick upon Tweed. Love bottles wrapped in paper like this, it makes it feel like Christmas! Love them even more when they have a mysterious inscription like "Dark fur. Horns. Mist."! On opening the bottle inside, there was such a sharp expulsion of gas that it shot the cap into the air with a loud pop. Scared it was a gusher I rushed to the sink, but no - the liquid remained well behaved. I've never seen a crown cap go up like that before, but once I was convinced that the bottle wouldn't attack me in any other way I poured it to reveal a rather murky dark brown brew with a large light brown head. The aroma was an enticing roasty chocolate, and the mouthfeel was also pretty good - smooth with a pleasing frothy fizz. Unfortunately the taste was a little disappointing after this promising start. Sweet milk chocolate was followed by herbal, medicinal, and liquorice hints, and then a heavily roasted, dry finish. I didn't taste any further, horns or mist, but it's possible that I wouldn't recognise them if I did! It's a tad too burnt for my liking, but still pretty good. I'd definitely try more beers from this brewer though, if only because I love those paper-wrapped bottles so much!

28/4/2018. Bottle from CentrAle, Newcastle. Pours black with a big foamy lasting beige head. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, sweet malt, blackcurrant, lactose and a hint of liquorice. Heavy sweetness, light roasted bitterness. Medium body, slick texture, very soft carbonation. Sweetness is quite overpowering but contrasts with increasing bitterness in finish.

Bottle from the Green Shop in Berwick upon Tweed. Appearance - deep brown to black with a thin fawn head. Nose - creamy chocolate with brown sugar. Light molasses. Taste - burnt bread and smoke. Chocolate but dark and dry this time. Palate - medium bodied with a crunchy texture. The finish is dry and crunchy too. Overall - good stout. Nose better than taste.

330ml bottle from Cornelius. Pours opaque dark brown with a thin tan head. Strong chocolate aromas, blackcurrant, light roast. Taste is more dark chocolate, blackcurrant, coffee. Rich, smooth. Good.

Bottle at home. Pours deep ruby brown, nose is nose is roasted, coffee, liquorice, taste is sweet toffee, liquorice, light chocolate.