Californian RIS, bought online. Thick, dense and perfectly regular, brownish beige head over a jet black beer. Strong, typical imperial stout aroma of cappuccino, black chocolate bars, vanilla, cinnamon, vague hint of roasted marinated meat, candied dates and cherries, coffee beans, black pepper, mocha ice cream, Cuban cigars, roasted pine nuts, hazelnut paste, some liquorice candy, cola and bourbon. Full, rich flavour of dried plums, raisins, dried banana and hazelnuts, with a deep sourish balance and medium carbo; smooth, bit fatty mouthfeel, fairly creamy and lining the mouth cavity with an oily texture, though I did have ’thicker’ imperial stouts before. Umami flavours appear in the middle, meaty, overlying a deep, layered, abysmal malt character, very nutty and toasted with a deep dark chocolate quality and growing roasted bitterness, which eventually becomes very coffeeish; finish is a well-accomplished synthesis of all these flavours, continuing coffee bitterness and lovely bittersweet black chocolate along with peppery hops and a glow of warming, bourbon-like alcohol, with a delicious retronasal impression of coffee & cinnamon cake. Nothing overly exuberant or unusual here, just a very decent, flawless, rich and fulfilling impy, delivering all the flavours you’d expect from the style. One to handle with care and doubtlessly with great ageing potential.

Bottle, 650 ml from Za Popen’t, Ljubljana. Pours dark brown with tan head. Chocolate aroma. Roasted coffee, milk chocolate, licorice. Full bodied. Warming alcohol. Very good.

22 oz bottle poured into a snifter. Thanks to my friend Ed for the trade! Black with two fingers of tan head and decent lacing. Aromas of sweet coffee, light roast, vanilla, some dark fruit. Tastes of dark chocolate, coffee, roast, caramel, some vanilla, subtle dark fruit, just a hint of booze. Full body with a dry finish. Very nice.

Bottle from Mikkeller Web Shop. Black with a big dark brown head. Aroma is sweet, roasted malt, coffee, licorice and chocolate. Flavor is quite sweet and rather bitter. Dry and roated rather bitter finish. 060315