Keg at beertemple. Pours deep ruby, nose is raisin, treacle, vanilla, orange, taste is chewy, caramel, fruity, sweet, bitter. 4

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled in 9/2018. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy deep ruby red, light copper/brown color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky light khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big lightly tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin/pits, orange peel/zest, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cardamom, wood bark, peppercorn, biscuit, and brown bread/crust; with light notes of almond, cocoa, coconut, raisin, plum, fig, date, red apple, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready malts, cherry, orange peel, bitters, bourbon barrels, and light earthy hop/fruity yeast notes; with big strength. Taste of big lightly tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin/pits, orange peel/zest, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cardamom, wood bark, peppercorn, biscuit, and brown bread/crust; with light notes of almond, cocoa, coconut, raisin, plum, fig, date, red apple, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness; and bitters/bourbon/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of cherries, fruit skin/pits, orange peel/zest, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cardamom, wood bark, peppercorn, biscuit, brown bread/crust, almond, cocoa, coconut, dark fruit, red apple, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malts, cherry, orange peel, bitters, bourbon barrels, and light earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance; and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready/grainy, and fairly sticky/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 8.3%, with minimal lingering booze after the finish. Overall this is an excellent spiced cocktail inspired strong ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malts, cherry, orange peel, bitters, bourbon barrels, and light earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Nicely soft feel, not overly bitter/spicy/tannic. Great overall balance between rich malts, cherry, orange, and bitters flavors; with nice overall barrel presence/integration. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and impressive experimental style example. Not overwhelming on any aspect.

Bourbony oak, coconut, caramel nose. Clear bronze, thin yellow head, good lacing. Bourbon, lemon, oak. Medium body, soft and silky. Very enjoyable.