Barrel Aged Esther

12 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 12/11/2018. Pours fairly hazy very dark ruby red/brown color with a 1 finger fairly dense and rocky light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big lightly tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin/pits, raisin, plum, prune, fig, date, peach, pear, apricot, red apple, red grape, honey, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, and brown bread; with light notes of banana, bubblegum, peppercorn, clove, vanilla, coconut, cocoa, nuts, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Touch of booze in the aromas as it warms, but not overwhelming. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of cherries, honey/candi sugar, fruity/light spicy yeast, dark/bready/light roasted malt, and bourbon barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big lightly tart/tangy cherries, fruit skin/pits, raisin, plum, prune, fig, date, peach, pear, apricot, red apple, red grape, honey, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, and brown bread; with light notes of banana, bubblegum, peppercorn, clove, vanilla, coconut, cocoa, nuts, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Mild herbal, floral, grassy, roast bitterness; and yeast, bourbon, oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Minimal fruit tang/tartness. Lingering notes of cherries, fruit skin/pits, dark fruit, peach, pear, apricot, red apple, red grape, honey, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, bourbon, toasted oak, brown bread, light banana/pepper/clove, vanilla, cocoa, nuts, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of cherries, honey/candi sugar, fruity/light spicy yeast, dark/bready/light roasted malt, and bourbon barrel flavors; with a solid malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and no cloying sweetness after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and yeast/oak spiciness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and lightly sticky/chalky/tangy/tannic mouthfeel that is fantastic. Mild increasing warmth of 10.2%, with no barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic BBA Belgian strong dark ale. All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of cherries, honey/candi sugar, fruity/light spicy yeast, dark/bready/light roasted malt, and bourbon barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV, with the mildly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Very well attenuated and not overly sweet for the ABV. Amazing balance of juicy cherries, Belgian yeast, and rich malt/sugar complexity; with great bourbon barrel presence/integration, and just enough earthy hops against sweetness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding style example as expected.