8.5

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9

6400th review! 12 ounce bottle into snifter; batch #1, bottled in 9/2016. Bottle #103. Pours fairly murky/cloudy opaque dark brown/black color with a thin light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a ring of lace that lingers. Slight spotty lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, lightly tart/tangy cherries, vanilla, cream, marshmallow, fudge, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, rye whiskey, toasted oak, and brown bread; with light notes of nuttiness, molasses, licorice, smoke, raisin, plum, fig, date, and roast/toast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, cherries, vanilla, and rye whiskey barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, lightly tart/tangy cherries, vanilla, cream, marshmallow, fudge, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, rye whiskey, toasted oak, and brown bread; with light notes of nuttiness, molasses, licorice, smoke, raisin, plum, fig, date, and roast/toast/oak earthiness. Very minimal roast bitterness, rye whisky/oak spiciness, and cherry tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cherries, vanilla, cream, marshmallow, fudge, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, rye whiskey, toasted oak, brown bread, light molasses/licorice/dark fruit, and roast/toast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Amazing complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, cherries, vanilla, and rye whiskey barrel flavors; with a solid roasted bitter/sweet, whiskey/oak spiciness, and cherry tang/tartness balance; with zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very creamy, silky, and velvety mouthful that is amazing. Minimal chalky roast, oak tannins, or dryness. Alcohol is extremely well hidden; minimal warming alcohol for 17.2%, with zero barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is an amazing barrel aged fruited super imperial stout! All around incredible complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, cherries, vanilla, and rye whiskey barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV. Amazingly rich malt complexity with complementing cherry/vanilla flavors; perfect Sazerac rye barrel integration with no booze, tannins, or drying. Right on par with the regular Woodford rye barrel 17% version, with a better mouthfeel. Not overly sweet/heavy for the ABV. Never overdone on any aspect. A highly enjoyable offering.