7.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

16 ounce can into pint glass, best before 5/13/2018. Pours crystal clear nearly opaque dark brown color with a 1-2 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing cling on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk chocolate, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, carrots, caramel, vanilla, cream, cake batter, and toasted dark/brown bread; with light notes of coffee, smoke, and herbal/roast/toasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, lactose, cocoa, cinnamon, raisin, and carrot notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk chocolate, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, carrots, caramel, vanilla, cream, cake batter, and toasted dark/brown bread; with light notes of coffee, smoke, and herbal/roast/toasted earthiness. Very mild herbal hop, roast, and spice bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, carrots, caramel, vanilla, cream, cake batter, toasted dark/brown bread, light coffee/smoke, and herbal/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, lactose, cocoa, cinnamon, raisin, and carrot flavors; with a great roasted bitter/sweet and spiciness balance; with zero cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Very slight dryness from bitter/spiciness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/silky, and slightly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.2%. Overall this is a delicious spiced milk stout! All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, lactose, cocoa, cinnamon, raisin, and carrot flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the very mild bitter/spicy finish. Nicely rich for the low ABV. Really impressive, this genuinely tastes like carrot cake. Spices aren't overwhelming or astringent; authentic raisin/carrot flavors, and great balance with the base beer. A very enjoyable offering, and great style example.