Bottle from Beers of Europe 161112
Black, very thin ruby edges in glass, dark tan head that dissipates to thin rim around glass
Aroma - Huge vinous nose, some alcohol, very fruity, slight cidery note, little sour, wine
Taste - very vinous malts, fruity dark treacle, rich red wine, very rich dark fruity malts, some sourish notes, hint of chocolate, a touch spicy, tar-like mouthfeel, sherry, very unlike other imperial stouts, very little roast flavour. Actually, isn’t very complex in flavour as it is so vinous, alcohol quite noticeable
Palate - soft carb, very full body, very viscous and oily. Finish as main flavour, some dry alcohol
Overall - This is a big vinous and fruity imperial stout. Has little of the roast, coffee and chocolate normally associated with imperial stouts. Initial tasting was very impressive, probably around 4.2 but after drinking more the taste becomes less complex and the massive fruity vinous flavour becomes slightly tiresome. It would be quite difficult to drink a whole bottle - it’s best taken in very small quantities up to 100 ml. Very interesting beer.

Bottle (Imperial Extra Double Stout) at home - 16/09/12. Pours a dark dark brown approaching black with a thin tan head that soon forms a thin pond atop the glass and escapes to the edge. Complex nose comprises of dark fruits, treacle toffee, roast malts, molasses, damp wood, light smoke and a port like alcohol whiff. In the taste - Sweet roast malts, a little coffee, toffee, light chocolate notes, berry fruits, spice. Medium to full bodied with a moderate to low level of cabonation leading to a soured sweet finish with a warming alcohol finale. Well balanced imperial stout with well disguised alcohol flavour, more fruity than most, enjoyable.

33 cl bottle as ”Harveys Imperial Extra Double Stout” @ Olutravintola Pikkulintu. Rated on 4.12.2010
Aroma is slightly sour with roasted malt, licorice, hints of coffee and alcohol. Flavour has slightly salty licorice, some coffee and herbs. A bit too thin and close to Foreign Stout – although too strong to be one. I liked the aroma here, but flavour does not fit my mouth.

26th October 2007
Warning! Early amateur rating! Thick black - brown stout. Slightly oily! Bitter malt with coffee and chocolate tones. Salty finish. Somewhat of a hard job to get down!

(Bottle, 2003 vintage, at Pikkulintu) The beer poured black. No head formation. Aroma was really vineous with mild roastedness in the background. Palate was full bodied and dry with low carbonation. Flavours were vineousness, sourness, roastedness, ash and mildly bitterness. Aftertaste was sour. I’ve yet to decide had this bottle gone bad or should this beer be like this. I’ve drank bottles of the same vintage before and I remeber the beer having been similar to this one.

Bottle, pours black with almost no head. Aroma of whiskey, wood, roasted malt, cherry and sour fruits. Flavour of roasted malt, sour fruit, wood and licorice, with a vinegary, dry red wine-like finish.

275ml bottle. Pours pitch black with a medium frothy head. Aroma is chocolate, blackcurrants and soy sauce. Some vinegar. Taste is blackcurrants and roasted malts. Very bitter finish. Sour and vinegar on the finish.

Bottle (2003): Pours an huge, dark brown color with a thin brown head. Nose is sour, almost alarmingly sour... just a bit of roast and hints of cofee. At first sip, there are so many flavors coming forth its just a mouthful of confusion. A little sweet up front, some chocolate, roast in the middle, and soy sauce in the end. Some sours and vinegar in the middle, roast begins to take on more of a role as it warms. Too much going on here to work together, I just can’t get into sync with this brew.

2003 Bottle. Poured black with no head whatsoever. Aroma has an odd wine note with roasted malts and dark chocolate. Flavor begins with dark chocolate and roasted malts but a dry wine note grows towards the finish and becomes surprisingly vine.