2600th review! 12 ounce bottle into signature tulip glass, bottled in 2010D. Pours dense pitch black color with a small dense tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with some light streaming carbonation. Aromas of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, molasses, dark bread, raisin, prune, date, cherry, licorice, light char, and roasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt and dark fruit notes; with good strength. Taste of huge dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roasted malt, molasses, dark bread, brown sugar, raisin, prune, date, cherry, licorice, light char, and roasted earthiness. Light roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, roast, dark bread, brown sugar, molasses, raisin, prune, date, cherry, licorice, and roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Incredible complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt and dark fruit flavors; with a great roasted bitterness/sweetness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light carbonation and very full bodied; with a very creamy, slick, and slightly syrupy/chalky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a small warming present after the finish. Overall this is an awesome imperial stout. All around great complexity and balance of dark/roasted malt and dark fruit flavors; and smooth to sip on slowly. This is one of the most dark fruit forward imperial stouts I have had, but it was still really well balanced. A highly enjoyable offering.

Sampled at Boise’s Imperial Stout get together, over 120 bottles to choose from. Going with the flow on this rating.

Tap: Oily black, with a short, dark tan head. Slightly vegetal, chocolate aroma. Chocolate, coffee malt....herbal hop flavours.... Thick, boozy and heavy...... Wow!.....this one has a ton of "oomph"..... Excellent.

Draft / guest tap @ Willimantic Brewpub. 25 Jan, 2014. This was a vintage 2011 keg. 8 oz. pour for $9.00. Dark black, no light can penetrate this brew. Aroma is some deep roasted barley with a real vinous wine notes going on. Damn this taste is crazy. It’s like a Port wine/ stout hybrid. Flavors are rum soaked raisins, red grape skins, mixed with chocolate and burnt sugary molasses. The finish has more red wine notes with the alcohol still showing up with some warming after the swallow. It makes the throat and belly warm a second after the sip. The texture is lightly oily and again reminds me of wine. If I was to takes this blind I would have guessed some variety of Port wine. The stout aspects are very subtle and subdued. It took me sometime to finally get to sample this. I really liked it but I prefer my Imperial Stouts to be more like…. Well, Imperial stouts. If I want Port wine I will get one from Portugal or Spain.