An interesting IS, but not up to ET’s normal standards IMHO. The nose has dark chocolate, a touch of coffee, caramel and malt. The taste has standard elements, roasted coffee, chocolate and caramel. Darker molasses, some dried fruit, a vegetal presence and a slight bubble gummy yeast are additional elements. A slightly burnt edge is a nice addition.

Bottle at the beer bistro. Jet black pour, small mocha head. The aroma is loaded with charred malts, coffee, and some bitter cocoa powder. Something i wasnt expected was a strong aroma of sweet black strap molasses. Viscous mouth feel, oily, and soft carb. Finish is loaded with sweet caramel, and molasses, with more bitter cocoa, and a medium bitterness.

Bottle at home. Aroma is lots of sweet liquorice, dark malt, sweet chocolate, soy sauce, plum, raisins, molasses, hoppy notes. Flavour is massively sweet, cloying and heavy. Body is full, sticky. A bit too heavily cloying sweet and liquorice forward for my taste, but still a pretty enjoyable beer.

355ml bottle. Jet black colour with slightly late awakening, small, creamy, half-way lasting, minimally lacing, beige head. Sweet-ish and slightly spicy, dark malty aroma, notes of treacle, caramel, molasses, some marmite, dark chocolate, rock sugar, malt lozenge, a touch of liquorice and lovage, whiffs of peat, smoke and ashes. Taste is sweet-ish, roasty, chocolatey and spicy dark malty, notes of treacle, liquorice, caramel, hints of molasses, marmite, malt lozenge, a touch of lovage, very cautious smoky and peaty overtones. Viscous texture, smooth and soft palate with a minimally biting effect, probably due to bitter hop and alcohol alike, minimally cloying nevertheless, fine and soft carbonation. Matured for more than five years and still in excellent condition. Nice to have an Impy Stout from the times when all those adjuncts weren't be at sway.

Bottle: As black as expected, no head to speak of, sweetish malty and woody ( nearly without vanilla) leather and traces of liquorice underneath, some minerals as well; surely solid sweet and bitter flavour, surely full bodied, surely not overly soft; robust lingering sweet-bitter finish with a distinctive (warming) alcohol-burn in the aftertaste. Well balanced, but neither very aromatic nor very smooth. Disappointing…

Dégustée le 2020-02-13. .