Bottle drunk 7/7/17, huge thanks to Adam for sharing. Didn’t think I’d ever try this one.
Dark mahogany body shows low/little clarity and a tan ring of bubbles quickly fizzles away.
Caramel is immediately chased by a big helping of coconut. It’s a bit dominant, still, but at least feels authentic/real. Light oxidation is present, adding a touch of light sherry but thankfully no huge fudge or intense chocolate/caramel notes hit. Lots of bread though and at a mere three years of age, this one already seems like it’s past its prime. Alcohol is under control and light chocolate and coconut lingers with a touch of bread and soy.
Very rich up front, though mostly caramel and bread. Chocolate and light fudge through the middle as malts create a very, very "thick" texture. Low carbonation but still engaging. Quite a bit more complex than the aroma would suggest and that’s probably because the coconut character oddly does not manifest itself much in the flavor. Instead, layers of raisin, toffee, light char and warm alcohol surge forth with surprisingly low oxidation. Funny that the nose is so much more tired and underwhelming, while the flavor/texture seems pretty well intact. Strong acidity, not exactly sure from where, keeps this mostly balanced, and it’s competent and drinkable, though nothing particularly exciting stands out for me.