2016 bottle. Dense, oily, opaque black body with a minimal tan head. Complex aroma of chocolate, espresso, roast malt in a boozy mix. The complex flavor follows the aroma. Big bodied, alcoholic warming boozy sipper.

750 ml bottle into snifter, bottled on 8/15/2016. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, bourbon, toasted oak, vanilla, dark bread, almond, raisin, prune, fig, date, licorice, light char, and roast/oak earthiness. Touch of booziness appears as it warms. Damn nice complexity and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, bourbon barrel, and light-moderate fruity yeast notes; with great strength. Taste of huge dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, bourbon, toasted oak, vanilla, dark bread, almond, raisin, prune, fig, date, licorice, light char, and roast/oak earthiness. Light-moderate roasted bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, bourbon, toasted oak, vanilla, dark bread, almond, licorice, dark fruit, and roast/oak earthiness on the finish fora while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, bourbon barrel, and light-moderate fruity yeast flavors; with a great roasted bitter/sweet and bourbon/oak spiciness balance, with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Light dryness from roast bitterness and bourbon/oak spiciness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy, and fairly slick/sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden, a mild warmth lingering after the finish; with minimal barrel booziness, Overall this is an outstanding barrel aged Russian imperial stout! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, bourbon barrel, and light-moderate fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to sip on for the big ABV. This was fruitier on the yeast presence than I expected; but is still spot on for an English styled RIS, with plenty of deep roast and bourbon barrel presence with great balance. A highly enjoyable offering.