7.9

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

750 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours hazy golden orange color with a 1 finger dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big tart cherry, berries, lemon, orange, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana, honey, wheat, biscuit, herbal, straw, grass, light funk, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, cherries, and moderate bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart cherry, berries, lemon, orange, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana, honey, wheat, biscuit, herbal, straw, grass, light funk, and yeast earthiness. Good amount of yeast spiciness; with light fruit tartness, tangy wheat, and herbal hop bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of tart cherry, berries, lemon, orange, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana, honey, wheat, biscuit, herbal, straw, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, cherries, and moderate bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from tart/bitter/spiciness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately grainy/bready/sticky, and lightly acidic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a mild warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is a very nice fruited imperial saison. All around nice fruity/spicy yeast, cherries, and moderate bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the big ABV. Very nice authentic cherry flavors; but not overpowering, sweet, or syrupy feeling from the fruit. A very enjoyable offering.